Future Imelda’s track slowing south of NC

We now have the first track for Potential Tropical Cyclone 9, or what is expected to become Tropical Storm Imelda. Humberto is now a powerhouse category 4 storm and expected to become a Category 5 on over the weekend.

The latest track and model data are slowing potential “Imelda” down next week with the storm potentially kicking out sea the middle of next week .

Potential Imelda’s track continues to show a Category 1 hurricane nearing the SE US coast Tuesday into Wednesday. If the storm reaches close to the NC coast, heavy rain, coastal wind gusts to 40 mph and isolated tornadoes will be a threat early to mid week. However, drier air moving in from the north may limit how far the worst impacts spread out from the center.

While the bulk of the data turns the storm out to sea mid week, the chance for a landfall still can’t be ruled out from Georgia through Cape Hatteras. We’ll need to continue to watch the storm very closely over the coming days for shifts in track and timing.

Humberto is now a major hurricane, jumping from a Category 1 to Category 4 since early Friday. It’s expected to strengthen further over the weekend and potentially reach Category 5 status. The good news is that Humberto will stay well off the U.S. coast, although the storm may pass very close to Bermuda. Humberto will, however, send large waves, minor beach erosion and a high rip current risk to the North Carolina beaches for most of the week.

We’ll be keeping a very close eye on both systems through the weekend into much of next week.

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