On 25 August, a tropical wave which had brought rain and storms to Barbados and the Lesser Antilles over the previous days, was up-graded to tropical storm status – the fifth named storm, and as of 27 August, the first hurricane of the 2006 season, writes ReliefWeb.int
In the early hours of 27 August, tropical storm Ernesto was up-graded to a Category 1 hurricane – although it was subsequently down-graded to tropical storm status after passing over Haiti.
It is expected to regain hurricane intensity as it heads towards Cuba, by the morning of Monday 28 August. The storm has continued to slow down, whilst generally increasing in intensity, with torrential downpours reported over the past 24-36 hours over Haiti and the Dominican Republic, as well as along the northern coast of Jamaica.
The current and projected track of the storm has it travelling slightly farther NNW than originally predicted, and predictions are for additional strengthening over the next 24 hours, with the next landfall anticipated near Guantanamo,Cuba as a Category 1 or 2 hurricane, early on Monday 28 August.
Kilde: www.reliefweb.int
