TROPICS: Ernesto expected to return to hurricane status Sunday [Video]

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC/AP) – Ernesto began to pound Bermuda late Friday with heavy winds and rain, weakening to a tropical storm as it passed the island.

As of 11 a.m. Sunday, the center of Hurricane Ernesto was located near latitude 36.1 north, longitude 62.5 west, about 590 miles south of Halifax Nova Scotia

Ernesto is moving north-northeast at 16 mph. An accelerating northeastward motion is then expected late this weekend into early next week.

On the forecast track, the center of Ernesto will pass near southeastern Newfoundland late Monday into Tuesday morning.

There is a high risk of rip currents along the southeastern coast of the United States as a result of Ernesto. This includes the entire Lowcountry coast. Swimming is expected to be hazardous through the weekend because of this.