Ernesto gains strength as a hurricane over the open Atlantic

Ernesto picked up strength as a hurricane early Monday as it headed farther out in the Atlantic toward easternmost Canada, but the storm is expected t...

Ernesto picked up strength as a hurricane early Monday as it headed farther out in the Atlantic toward easternmost Canada, but the storm is expected to stay offshore, causing powerful swells, dangerous surf and rip currents along the U.S. East Coast, the National Hurricane Center said.

Ernesto's maximum sustained winds increased overnight to near 85 mph (140 kph), with higher gusts, the hurricane center said. It is expected to weaken and become a post-tropical storm by Tuesday, the center said.

The storm was centered about 340 miles (550 kilometers) south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and was expected to pass near southeastern Newfoundland late Monday and early Tuesday, the center said.

Some coastal flooding in Canada was possible.

But people all along the Northeast's coast should be careful, the center said.