"Hurricane Imelda has taken a shocking turn, sparing the southeastern US from the landfall meteorologists had previously feared. The shift comes thanks to a rare interaction with Hurricane Humberto and a high-pressure system building over the Northeast, which is steering Imelda out to sea. Hurricane Imelda, which strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane on Tuesday with sustained winds of 85 mph, will largely avoid the coast."
"Forecasters said this unusual turn is driven by the Fujiwhara Effect, a phenomenon in which two nearby storms 'dance' around each other, influencing each other's paths. For a time, Humberto and Imelda were less than 500 miles apart, close enough for significant interaction. Instead of slamming into the Carolinas or Georgia, Imelda is now being tugged northeastward as Humberto curves off to the open Atlantic."
"However, swells from Imelda and the more distant Hurricane Humberto are hitting the Bahamas and spreading along the US East Coast. 'These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions,' forecasters said. Had Imelda made landfall and stalled over the Southeast, it could have dumped feet of rain on rivers and coastal areas, rivaling the flooding caused by Hurricane Matthew in 2016."
Imelda veered away from a feared southeastern U.S. landfall after a rare interaction with Hurricane Humberto and a high-pressure system over the Northeast steered it out to sea. Imelda strengthened to Category 1 with 85 mph sustained winds and will largely avoid the coast, but dangerous rip currents, rough surf, and localized flooding persist. The storms engaged via the Fujiwhara Effect, with centers under 500 miles apart, tugging Imelda northeastward while Humberto curved into the open Atlantic. Swells from both hurricanes are hitting the Bahamas and spreading along the U.S. East Coast, producing life-threatening surf and rip currents. Satellite imagery shows Imelda organizing about 400 miles southwest of Bermuda.
Read at Mail Online
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