Authorities in the Bahamas shut down most schools and ordered evacuations for some islands on Monday as Tropical Storm Imelda threatened to unleash heavy rain and flooding across the northern Caribbean.
According to The Associated Press, the storm was about 10 miles southeast of Great Abaco Island — still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Dorian in 2019. Imelda packed maximum sustained winds of 50 mph and was moving north at 9 mph. The National Hurricane Center in Miami said it was expected to strengthen into a hurricane by Tuesday before spinning out into open ocean.
A tropical storm warning was in place for Eleuthera, the Abacos, Grand Bahama Island, and surrounding keys. Authorities also reported power outages and closed government offices on affected islands.
Forecasters said Imelda could dump 4 to 8 inches of rain across the northwest Bahamas and 2 to 4 inches across eastern Cuba.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Humberto churned nearby, setting up a rare weather phenomenon.
“This is really what’s going to be saving the United States from really seeing catastrophic rainfall,” said Alex DaSilva, lead hurricane expert for AccuWeather.
DaSilva explained that when two storms move close together, they can trigger what’s known as the Fujiwhara effect — “It’s a very rare phenomena overall in the Atlantic basin,” he said.
“This is going to be no threat to the United States,” DaSilva added.
Even so, forecasters said moisture from Imelda could bring heavy rainfall to the Carolinas through Tuesday morning. Charleston, South Carolina, through Wilmington, North Carolina, may see the heaviest rain, while Charlotte and Raleigh could get 1 to 2 inches. Winds along the coast could gust up to 40 mph, and forecasters warned of dangerous surf and rip currents all week.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said search and rescue teams were prepositioned over the weekend. In North Carolina, Gov. Josh Stein declared a state of emergency before Imelda even formed.
Farther out in the Atlantic, Bermuda was bracing for impacts from both storms.
“It’s going to be a double whammy for Bermuda, Humberto first and Imelda following close behind,” DaSilva said, noting Imelda could pass within 15 miles of the island once it strengthens into a hurricane.
Michael Weeks, Bermuda’s national security minister, urged preparation. “Hurricane Humberto is a dangerous storm, and with another system developing to our south, every household in Bermuda should take the necessary steps to be prepared,” he said.
Flights in and out of the Bahamas were canceled, with airports expected to reopen once conditions improve.
