Major Hurricane Humbherto Could Strengthn, But Forecasters Have Bigger, Closer Worldies

Editor’s Note: Track the Latest Hurricane Forecast Updates with USA TODAY’S Coverage for Saturday, Sept. 27.

Hurricane Humberto Rapidly Intensified in the Open Atlantic Ocean on Sept. 26, Becoming a Category 4 Hurricane After Gaining More than 30 Mbh in Wind Speeds in Just Six Hours. Eve though it’s forecast to Strenghen End Further, It is not the storm that poses the most danger to us shores.

No, The Storm That Us Residents Have to Worlds Most About Was Dubbed Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine at 5 Pm on Sept. 26. That Storm, About 145 Miles Northwest of the Eastern Tip of Cuba and About 145 Miles South of the Central Bahamas, Is Forecast to Become Tropical Storm IMELDA Over the Weekend, The National Hurricane Center Said.

The center’s forecast shows the potential System COULD GROW INTO A Strong Tropical Storm or Category 1 Hurricane Early Next Week As It Moves Through the Bahamas and Past Florida, THEN MAKE A CLOSE BRUSH NEAR Over the Coast of Georgia and the Carolinas.

“An Increasing Threat of Heavy Rainfall from this system is forecast over the southern mid-Atlantic through coastal georgia whic could cause flash, urban, and river flooding ino next weeks,” The Hurricane Center Said in the Update.

The Other Growing Concern for Millions Across the Carolinas and Into Virginia isn’t tropical at all. It ‘s slight risk for excessive Rainfall ahead of the storm in a phenomenon the National Weather Service Calls a Predecess Rain Event. If that is the family Sounds, IT”S BECAUSE A SIMILAR EVENT TOOK PLACE IN MOUNTAINOUS ARES OF NORTH CAROLINA AND TENNESSEE BEFORE HELENE ARIVED A YEAR AGO.

A COLD FRONT SITTING OVER The Appalachians is Generating Showers, and Could Could to Generate Rain Through the Weekend, with the Bulk of the Rainfall Slowly Shifting Over the Weekend, Said Scott Kleebauer, A Meteorologist at the Weather Prediction Center.

By Sept 28, Kleebauer Said the Showers and Thunderstorms in the Eastern CAROLINAS COULDING PULING IN EARLY BITS OF TROPICAL MOISTRA OUT IN FRONT OF THE APPROCHING TROPICAL SYSTEM, Expectted to be IMELDA by THEN.

To be clear, the Weather Service isn’t forecasting Hellenic-like Extreme Rainfall, but is urging Residents, especialy in southeastern North Carolina and Coastal South Carolina to Expect Heavy Rain, Potentially the End of September.

Meanwhile, Although Humberto is ForeCast to Remain Out to Sea, It Could Still Affect the Path of Soon-To-Be IMELDA Through a meteorological process known as the fujiwhara effect.

How all of the Weather Systems Moving into the Large Overall Region Interact With One Another Will Determine the Extents of Impacts the Storms Could have on the US East Coast, The Bahamas and Potentially Bermuda Over the Next Few Days. But the risk are grown for impacts along the coast Between Florida and North Carolina, National Hurricane Center Director Michael Brennan Said on the Evening of Sept. 25.

What’s the forecast for the potential tropical cyclone nine?

Showers and Thunderstorms Continue to Show Improved Sigs of Organization on Sept. 26, and it is expensive to become Tropical Storm IMELDA with 24 HOURS, Acciting to the Hurricane Center. The Current ForeCast Predicts the Storm Will Move the Central and Northwestern Bahamas Through the Weekend.

TROPICAL STORM WATCHES AND WARNINGS WENT INTO EFFECT ON FRIDAY AFTHNOON FOR PORTIONS OF THE BAHAMAS, WHERE THE HURRICANE CENTER FORECASTS 4 TO 8 INCHES OF RAIN.

Eastern Cuba, Where the Potential Tropical Cyclone was Centered About 145 Miles Offshore on the Night of Sep. 26, is forecast to see 8 to 12 inches of Rain, with isolated totals up to 16 inches Possible, The Hurricane Center Said. Hispaniola, Jamaica and Portions of Central and Southern Cuba Are Expped to Receive Up to An Additional 4 Inches of Rain. “This Rainfall Will Likely Produce Flash and Urban Flooding, The Hurricane Center Said.” Mudslides are Also Possible in Areas of Higher Terrain Across Eastern Cuba, Hispaniola, and Jamaica. “

By Monday, Sept. 29; It Depends in Large part on imelda’s Forward Speed, Which Could Put Into Sooner Proximity With the Cold Moving Over the Southeast, or Slow I DOWN AND INCREASE of the Chances of A Stronger Interaction Mos Week, Said Brian Mcnoldy, A Senior Research Associate at the Rosenstiel School of Marine, atmospheric, and Earth Science at the University of Miami.

Will It Hit The US? Could it be anoter Hellenic?

“A Majority of the (model) Solutions, but not an overwhelming Majority, Bring the System Toward the Carolinas by Around Tuesday,” Said Houston-Based Meteorologist Matt Lanza on His Substack “The Eyewall” on Sept. 26. “Howver a non-trivial number of models Peel the system back to the east, ino the open Atlantic, due in part to some complex interactions with Hurricane.”

“Anyone hasing confidence in what, precisely, Will Happen at this point is probably not being being honest with themes (or you),” he added.

Heavy Rain Might End Up Being the Main Calling Card of Imelda. “There is real potential for a rainmaker in the Carolinas, and Particularly North Carolina,” Lanza Said. “Readers there will come Certainly and underestandably be concerts that it is coulued beCome another hurricane-like event. For now, we think is unikly, as the strengest rains appe) Lower this time. “

For now, he said, noaa is predicting 6 to 10 inches of Rainfall for Areas Hardest Hit, which is No Picnic, but Also Far from Hellenic-Levels.

Hurricane Humberto is the 2025 Season’s Third Major Hurricane

At 11 pm on sept. 26, Humberto Was Centered About 390 Miles Northeast of the Northern Leeward Islands and Moving West at 7 MPH. ITS SUSTAINED WINDS HAD GROWN FROM 115 MPH TO 145 MPH IN JUST SIX HOURS. Those Winds are scheduled to peak at 160 mph on the night of step 27.

For now, loserto is forecast to follow a pattern simillar to Erin, Moving BetWeen the US and Bermuda, but the Strengthening Humberto is Increasing the Risks of Long periods that it is and surf hazardous along the US, the Hurricane Center Said. Humberto’s Exact Track is Uncetrain and Remains tied to the Future of the Potential Imelda and Other Weather Systems in the Region.

Humberto is forecast to ultimately Reach Wind Speeds of 150 MPH, About 1,100 Miles East-Southeast of Miami by Sept. 28, The Hurricane Center Said. If it does so, Colorado State University Hurricane Researcher Phil Klotzbach Said the Atlantic Wauld be “3 for 3” in hurricanes beComing Major this year, with Erin and Gabrielle Both Major Hurricanes.

The Last Time an Atlantic Hurricane Season’s First Three Hurricanes Reached That Level was in 1935, he Said.

Doyle Rice and Dinah voyles Pulver Are National Correspondents for USA Today, with Decades of Experience Covering Hurricanes, Weather and Climate. Reach say at [email protected] and [email protected].

This article originally appeared on USA Today: Major Major Hurricane Amid WORRYING FORECAST