- Eric Tulsky comfortable, confident and going for the Stanley Cup in 2nd year as Hurricanes GM
- 5 homes collapse into the surf of the Outer Banks as hurricanes rumble in Atlantic
- As hurricanes pass offshore, more Buxton homes collapse into the sea
- Central Texas floods reveal need to shore up disaster response in unincorporated areas
- Latest: Tropical Storm Imelda will pull away from East Coast, expected to become a hurricane
Tropical Storm Imelda latest: Storm still on track to turn away from US
WRAL meteorologists are tracking Tropical Storm Imelda, which has formed off the East Coast, and its interaction with a hurricane farther off in the Atlantic.
Imelda is forecast to bring waves of rain to North Carolina, mainly on Monday and Tuesday. This tropical system will mainly be a rain event, with damaging winds, flooding and power outages not a major concern. The storm will not make landfall.
Other WRAL Top Stories
Helpful links: WRAL Hurricane Center with interactive tracker | DualDoppler5000 | When, where, what: Timing the rain | Download WRAL apps to get alerts | All active weather alerts | ReportIt: Send us pics | Indoor playgrounds and activities
The latest:
5 p.m.: Imelda continues to strengthen with maximum sustained winds at 65 mph. WRAL meteorologist Mike Maze said the storm is still moving north, but is expected to turn to the northeast tonight and become a hurricane.
For North Carolina, high rip current risks are likely throughout the week at the coast. The Outer Banks will experience rough surf all week with 6 to 10 foot seas.
4 p.m.: Seas appeared rough and choppy at Ocean Isle Beach and a red flag warning was in effect. Rip currents, beach erosion and coastal flooding are all threats. Gov. Josh Stein said threats may continue throughout the week and beachgoers should stay out of the water.
3:30 p.m.: The WRAL Weather Team has launched a Weather Alert Day for Tuesday with a 60 to 70 percent chance of rain during the morning. The drive to work could be messy for drivers. On Monday night, there’s a 70 percent chance of scattered showers. There is still high confidence that Imelda will turn to the east. The moisture from the storm has helped North Carolina get some beneficial and much-needed rain.
2 p.m.: In Cuba, at least one man was killed because of landslides from Imelda.
12:40 p.m.: A tree fell and hit a power line in a residential neighborhood on Plantation Drive near Southwest Maynard Road in Cary. The road was closed as firefighters and police tried to clear the scene, while Duke Energy crews worked on power line repairs.
11 a.m.: The latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center shows Imelda is strengthening. Imelda, which at 11 a.m. was still a tropical storm with winds at 60 mph, is expected to become a Category 1 hurricane on Tuesday. An eye is already trying to form, according to WRAL meteorologist Aimee Wilmoth. Humberto remains a major Category 4 hurricane and is expected to weaken late Tuesday.
Although Imelda and Humberto will not make landfall or directly impact the Outer Banks, dangerous rip currents and surf are expected for most of the East Coast for the next few days.
The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for parts of the coast, with the potential for 2 to 3 feet of water above ground level. Forecasts also indicate the possibility of 10-to-12-foot breaking waves impacting all Cape Hatteras National Seashore beaches.
10 a.m.: Steady rain is falling across the Triangle, including at Raleigh-Durham International Airport, with some heavy rain at times. Highs will stay in the cool, in the low to mid 70s.
8 a.m.: WRAL meteorologists have decided Monday will be a WRAL Weather Alert Day due to light to moderate rain falling for most of the day, which will lead to messy road conditions for the morning and evening commutes. Less than 1 inch of rain is expected. Flooding and wind damage are not expected to be issues.
7 a.m.: The first bands of rain from Imelda are falling across the Triangle, and several crashes have been reported on wet roads in Raleigh. As with any rain event, drivers should slow down. It won’t rain all day on Monday and Tuesday, so don’t expect a washout, but the rain could be steady and heavy at times, according to WRAL meteorologist Chris Michaels.
Track rain with the DualDoppler | Live look at weather conditions
6 a.m.: WRAL News talked with Jeff Brooks, a spokesperson from Duke Energy, about how emergency preparations have changed since Imelda’s forecasted impact has lessened.
“Imelda really could have been a significant storm for the Carolinas, it’s something we’ve been watching for the last few days,” Brooks said.
Imelda is not expected to bring significant winds or power outages to North Carolina, but previous tracks showing the storm coming ashore told a different story.
“We really saw a scenario that was going to be significant rainfall and significant wind gusts for a long time,” Brooks said, comparing the slow-moving storm to Florence. He called the track change, which sends the storm to the east, a “godsend.”
“It was fantastic for us … it just wasn’t a time that we wanted to see another storm come through here,” Brooks said.
5 a.m.: There is no change to Imelda’s track in the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center. Imelda remains a tropical storm, and farther off our coast, Humberto remains a Category 4 hurricane. Light rain is already falling in the Triangle, and it will build throughout the day, but we are not in a flood risk from this storm.
4 a.m.: All eyes are on Tropical Storm Imelda, which will bring periods of light, steady rain on Monday that will push in from the southeast after 6 or 7 a.m. The rain will slowly build in intensity on Monday and then decrease in intensity Tuesday as Hurricane Humberto gradually pulls Imelda away from the Carolinas late Tuesday afternoon.
“It will be breezy at times, but widespread power outages are not expected,” WRAL meteorologist Chris Michaels said.
Sunday, Sept. 28
11 p.m.: Tropical Storm Imelda is forecasted to strengthen on Monday, but will likely make a sharp turn to the east-northeast
8 p.m.: Tropical Storm Imelda is still forecast to make a turn to the east-northeast on Tuesday and stay well off the NC coast. There will also be high rip current risks Monday through mid-to-late week, as well as rough surf offshore.
5 p.m.: Tropical Storm Imelda is continuing to move, but is still holding with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph. The storm is still on track to bring tropical storm conditions on the Bahamas before dropping rain on the Carolinas on Monday and Tuesday.
It is also possible that Hurricane Humberto, which is a Category 4 storm, could now pull Imelda away.
2 p.m.: Tropical Storm Imelda has formed with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph. The storm is expected to bring tropical storm conditions to the Bahamas and move north, dropping a lot of rain in the Carolinas on Monday and Tuesday.
11 a.m.: Hurricane Humberto is now a Category 4 storm, located 535 miles south of Bermuda with maximum winds of 150 mph. Tropical Depression 9 has not yet become Imelda, but we expect the storm will be named Sunday afternoon. The system is currently 95 miles west of the central Bahamas.
The latest forecast shows Humberto pulling Tropical Depression 9 away from our coast. North Carolina will still get rain on Monday and Tuesday, but we’ll get less than we originally predicted.
9 a.m.: Tropical Depression 9 could be named Imeld later on Sunday. WRAL meteorologist Chris Michaels said the system is moving north and will eventually be caught between a weak low over land and Hurricane Humberto to the east. Humberto will grab the system and pull it away from the East Coast late Tuesday.
“We still get waves of rain Monday and Tuesday, however, rain totals and flood risk are lower,” Michaels said. “We’ll still be breezy, but damaging wind is highly unlikely. We’re not expecting tornadoes.”
Monday and Tuesday won’t see constant rain.
“Showers Monday start light and scattered, gradually filling in later on,” Michaels said. On Tuesday, the rain will start heavy and begin to taper off.
7 a.m.: Tropical Depression 9’s impact on North Carolina may be lessened from Hurricane Humberto, which will stay far offshore. Humberto will not directly impact the U.S., but it could pull Tropical Depression 9 farther away from our coast, reducing our rain impact.
Still, portions of central and eastern North Carolina could get a lot of rain on Monday and Tuesday. Even if the system stays offshore, we’ll still see some periods of rain and perhaps some localized flooding south of the Triangle on Monday into Tuesday.
Before the rain arrives, Sunday will be a mainly dry day. Rain from the tropical system will gradually move in from the southeast overnight into Monday. The bulk of the rain will fall late Monday and Tuesday before things slowly dry out beginning Wednesday.
“Rain chances are dropping Wednesday, thanks to our tropical system being tugged out to sea,” WRAL meteorologist Chris Michaels said.
After Wednesday, the remainder of the work week looks cooler, breezy and mostly dry.
Saturday, Sept. 27
5 p.m.: Humberto, which is not expected to impact the U.S., became a Category 5 hurricane on Saturday evening. As of 5 p.m. on Saturday, the storm was 350 miles northeast of the Northern Leeward Islands and is moving at 10 mph.
Tropical Depression 9 is still forecast to become a tropical storm on Sunday. WRAL meteorologist Grant Skinner said the track remains mostly unchanged. R
3 p.m.: Governor Josh Stein declared a State of Emergency on Saturday as the state prepares for heavy rain and the possibility of impacts from Tropical Depression 9, which is expected to become Tropical Storm Imelda.
“This State of Emergency will enable North Carolina’s State Emergency Response Team to mobilize resources and prepare for potential impacts,” Stein said in part in a statement. “Forecasts remain uncertain, so it’s important that North Carolinians get prepared now, have emergency kits ready, and listen to local emergency guidance to stay safe and informed.”
In a news release from the governor’s office, officials said the state’s emergency response team is preparing swift water rescue teams, search and rescue task forces, law enforcement, National Guard, and other resources to support local responses if needed.
11 a.m.: The tropical system we’ve been tracking in the Caribbean becomes Tropical Depression 9. It is expected to reach tropical storm strength by Saturday night.
At the same time, rain from the south spread across Raleigh and the surrounding area. No severe storms are expected Saturday, but off-and-on rain will make for a gloomy day.
10 a.m.: The bands of rain we see today are not coming from the two tropical systems active in the Atlantic. An area of low pressure over Tennessee is fueling the rain we see today, from late morning into the afternoon.
7 a.m.: Forecast models are trending toward a combination of Hurricane Humberto and potential tropical cyclone 9 (which would be named Imelda), and that is good news for North Carolina. Models are trending toward pulling a tropical system away from the Carolina coast. Even without a landfall, potential tropical cyclone No. 9 (PTC No. 9 would be named Imelda should it develop further) is likely to bring waves of rain and localized flooding to the Carolinas through mid-week.
6 a.m.: We got a break from the showers as day broke Saturday, but they return by late morning, WRAL meteorologist Chris Michaels said. It’s a damp and humid start to the weekend, with a medium risk of flooding throughout the day, from Interstate 95 and east.