Tropical Storm Ernesto dropped heavy rainfall on eastern Puerto Rico and left hundreds of thousands without power as it threatened to strengthen into a major hurricane. Ernesto is expected to become a hurricane later Wednesday morning and make its closest approach to Bermuda on Saturday as a major Category 3 storm. Ernesto is the fifth named storm of the above-average 2024 Atlantic hurricane season predicted due to warm ocean temperatures. Heavy swells were forecast along the U.S. East Coast as Ernesto moves north-northwest in the open Atlantic waters.