Hurricane Ernesto is expected to bring strong winds and dangerous storm surges to Bermuda.

Ernesto is a Category Two hurricane, with winds near 155 km/h.

It is expected to pass near or over Bermuda on Saturday morning.

The National Hurricane Centre says while some gradual weakening is forecast over the next day or so, re-intensification is possible by early next week.

It adds that Ernesto is a large tropical cyclone with hurricane-force winds extending up to 120km from the center, and tropical-storm-force winds up to 275 miles outward.