fter wreaking havoc on Puerto Rico, Hurricane Ernesto gained strength as it moved across the western Atlantic Ocean toward Bermuda. The Category 2 hurricane was set to pass near or over the island on August 17, 2024, bringing massive waves to the U.S. and Canadian Atlantic coasts.
A satellite image from the VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) aboard the Suomi NPP satellite captured Ernesto at 18:00 UTC (3 p.m. local time in Bermuda) on August 15, 530 miles southwest of Bermuda. At the time, Ernesto was intensifying, with sustained winds of 85 miles per hour (140 kilometers per hour).
Earlier that week, Ernesto had swept through the Leeward Islands, Virgin Islands, and eastern Puerto Rico, dumping up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain and leaving half of Puerto Rico’s residents without power. The storm caused widespread flooding, downed power lines, and significant damage to homes and vehicles.
As Ernesto moved northward, NASA and NOAA teamed up to gather data by deploying dropsondes—small sensors designed to measure the storm's temperature, moisture, pressure, and wind. Released from NOAA’s Gulfstream IV jet at 40,000 feet, these devices helped scientists understand Ernesto's dynamics. "The dropsonde data suggested that dry air along Ernesto’s path prevented it from becoming an even stronger storm," explained Justin Stachnik, an atmospheric scientist at NASA.
These in-storm measurements also play a crucial role in calibrating satellite observations, particularly those from NASA’s TROPICS mission, which uses CubeSats to track tropical cyclone activity. Such data is vital for near-real-time storm monitoring and forecasting.
While Ernesto was not expected to make landfall in the U.S., it was predicted to generate high surf and dangerous rip currents along the east coast and parts of Atlantic Canada from August 17 to 18.
NASA’s Disasters program has been activated in response to Hurricane Ernesto, collaborating with Puerto Rico’s Science, Technology, & Research Trust and the Department of Public Safety to assist with disaster response. The team continues to provide updated maps and data on its open-access portal as more information becomes available.
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