Ernesto moves through eastern Caribbean

Watches and warnings were lifted in Caribbean nations Friday as Tropical Storm Ernesto churned away from land, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. Ernesto, with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph, was about 210 miles west of St. Lucia and about 340 miles south-southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico, traveling west at 21 mph, the center said in its 5 p.m. EDT advisory. All tropical storm warnings and watches were discontinued. Ernesto was expected to stay on its westerly path for the next few days with a gradual decrease in forward speed, the center said. On its projected track, Ernesto's center will move across the eastern and central Caribbean Sea during the next 48 hours. Between 2-3 inches of rain could fall across the Windward Islands through the day, with isolated amounts of up to 5 inches of rain. Large waves generated by Ernesto will affect the islands and gradually subside, the center said.