Humberto becomes a Category 5 hurricane as another system looms for the Atlantic coast

Hurricane Humberto intensified to a Category 5 storm with sustained winds of 160 mph Saturday afternoon as it neared the U.S. East Coast, the National Hurricane Center said. Forecasters warned that Humberto is likely to remain a major hurricane through Tuesday, bringing dangerous surf, coastal flooding, and deadly rip currents to East Coast beaches even if the center stays offshore. The rapid increase in intensity — more than 50 mph in a 24-hour period — underscored the storm’s escalating threat to coastal communities and rip currents along popular shorelines.

The development marks a striking moment in an Atlantic season already featuring other strong systems. Matt Devitt of WINK News in Southwest Florida noted that this is the first time in 92 years that there have been multiple Category 5 hurricanes in back-to-back Atlantic seasons. Humberto’s appearance comes after Hurricane Erin did not make landfall this summer but did cause coastal flooding in the mid-Atlantic region. While forecasts suggested Humberto would not strike the United States, officials warned that its lingering effects — such as large swells and dangerous surf — could still impact shoreline towns.

In the meantime, forecasters are closely watching Tropical Depression Nine, which the National Hurricane Center expects to become Tropical Storm Imelda by Sunday. The system formed off the coast of Cuba with current sustained winds near 35 mph and is projected to move up the East Coast toward Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. The latest forecasts warn that Imelda could strengthen into a hurricane as it approaches the Georgia and South Carolina coasts, with potential for heavy rainfall and significant flooding if the storm slows down or stalls.

Spaghetti-model forecasts show a range of possible tracks for Imelda, from a landfall along parts of the Southeast coast to a scenario in which Imelda and Humberto remain separated enough to avoid direct interaction with land. Some tracks suggest landfall anywhere from Florida to the Carolinas, while others keep Imelda at sea before recurving away from the coast. Forecasters cautioned that, given the spread in model guidance, confidence remains low on the exact landfall location and timing.

Experts also discussed the possibility of a Fujiwhara effect, a rare interaction when two nearby cyclones rotate around a common center. If Humberto and Imelda come within close proximity, they could influence each other’s paths in unpredictable ways, potentially altering the threat to land. While such interactions are not guaranteed, forecasters are monitoring whether the two storms might exchange energy or alter tracks in the weeks ahead.

AccuWeather senior meteorologist Chad Merrill suggested that Imelda’s legacy could be heavy flooding across the Carolinas, noting that the region is still recovering from past flood events in the area. Merrill predicted that Imelda could bring heavy rain and severe flooding to parts of the Carolinas next week, complicating response efforts and evacuation plans if needed.

At this stage, officials emphasized that Humberto’s status as a major hurricane at sea does not automatically translate to landfall risk, but the system’s swells, currents, and coastal effects will be monitored closely. The meteorology community will continue to refine forecasts as new data comes in, with residents along the East Coast and Southeast advised to monitor National Weather Service notices and local advisories for the latest information.