TS Ernesto aims at Ireland, Hurricane Lane forms in Pacific

MEXICO CITY – Tropical Storm Ernesto sped through the north Atlantic toward Ireland and the United Kingdom on Friday as Hurricane Lane grew into a Category 2 storm in the remote Pacific, far from land and on a forecast path that would take it south of the Hawaiian islands next week.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center reported that Ernesto had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 kph) and its centre was about 780 miles (1,255 kilometres) north of the Azores.

It was heading northeast at 31 mph (50 kph) and was expected to become a post-tropical cyclone and merge with a frontal zone as it nears the British Isles on Saturday.

Lane, the sixth hurricane of the eastern Pacific season, was predicted to strengthen further. It had maximum sustained winds of 110 mph (175 kph) and was about 1,505 miles (2,420 kilometres) east-southeast of Hilo, Hawaii.

No coastal watches or warnings were in effect for either disturbance.