Ernesto loses hurricane status but remains powerful post-tropical cyclone in North Atlantic

Ernesto lost its hurricane status Tuesday morning, but remains a strong post-tropical cyclone and is forecast to affect parts of the U.S. and Canada early this week.Ernesto first became a hurricane last week after swooping by Puerto Rico and then making landfall in Bermuda. Over the weekend, Ernesto brought deadly beach conditions to the U.S. East Coast, including claiming two lives in South Carolina from powerful rip currents. Swells generated by Ernesto are affecting the Northeast coast of the U.S. and Atlantic Canada. The swells and associated life-threatening surf and rip current conditions should gradually subside during the next day or so, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHERAccording to the NHC, Ernesto was located about 420 miles east-northeast of Cape Race, Newfoundland, and was moving to the northeast at 37 mph. An even faster motion to the northeast or east-northeast is expected during the next couple of days. Ernesto is forecast to merge with a frontal system and dissipate by late Wednesday.2024 ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON GUIDE: HERE’S WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THIS YEAR’S STORMSAs of Tuesday, no other tropical systems in the Atlantic Basin are being monitored for development. Meanwhile, in the Eastern and Central Pacific, forecasters are tracking Tropical Storm Gilma and a few other disturbances.