Ernesto targets Barbados, Windward Islands

Tropical Storm Ernesto was getting a little better organized as it headed toward Barbados and the Windward Islands, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. In its 11 p.m. EDT update, the center said Thursday the storm was about 80 miles east of Barbados and 185 miles east of St. Lucia, moving west at 22 mph. Top sustained winds were 50 mph. A tropical storm warning was posted for Barbados, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica, St. Lucia, Martinique and Guadeloupe. A tropical storm watch was in effect for Grenada and its dependencies. Ernesto was expected to follow this general motion for about 48 hours. On its forecast track, the center of the storm should pass near Barbados late Thursday night and be near the Northern Windward Islands by Early Friday, forecasters said. The storm should reach the Eastern Caribbean Sea by Friday afternoon. Rainfall accumulation of 2 to 3 inches was expected across the Windward Islands through Friday, with 5 inches possible in some spots. Ernesto was likely to generate large waves affecting the tropical storm warning area during the next day or two, forecasters said.