The National Hurricane Center has begun issuing advisories on Potential Tropical Cyclone (P.T.C.) Five, located a little less than 1000 miles east of the Lesser Antilles. The "potential tropical cyclone" terminology is used when a disturbance has yet to acquire tropical characteristics, but will likely do so within 48 hours and impact land. This allows the National Hurricane Center to begin issuing tropical alerts. 

P.T.C. Five will continue to move west in the coming days and intensify. The system will likely become a tropical storm early in the week. Once that happens, it will take the name Ernesto.

A landfall somewhere in the Leeward Island chain and possibly Puerto Rico could occur by midweek as the storm intensifies to near-hurricane strength. Most available data favor a recurve scenario toward the general direction of Bermuda thereafter. Thus, U.S. impacts are unlikely aside from rough surf and an elevated rip current risk along the East Coast. Gulf Coast impacts are even less likely. No impacts are anticipated in Louisiana at this time.

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