Hurricane Watch issued for Bermuda as Imelda strengthens

Tropical Storm Imelda is expected to strengthen into a hurricane by Tuesday morning as it tracks northward in the Atlantic, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). A hurricane watch has been issued for Bermuda.

As of 5 p.m. ET on Monday, Imelda had maximum sustained winds of 65 mph and was moving north at 8 mph over the Atlantic, a few hundred miles southwest of Bermuda. The National Hurricane Center said the storm’s structure has continued to improve, with aircraft reconnaissance finding stronger winds and more organized circulation.

Forecasters expect Imelda to reach hurricane strength within 12 hours and approach Bermuda on Wednesday as a hurricane. Tropical storm conditions are forecast to begin affecting the island by Wednesday afternoon.

Rainfall from Imelda continues to impact parts of the northwestern Bahamas, including Great Abaco and Grand Bahama, and could cause flash and urban flooding through tonight. Locally heavy rain across the coastal Carolinas may also result in isolated flooding, forecasters said.

The NHC warned that swells and high surf generated by both Imelda and Hurricane Humberto will affect much of the U.S. East Coast during the coming days, creating dangerous rip currents and hazardous marine conditions.

Forecast guidance shows Imelda intensifying into a Category 1 hurricane on Tuesday before reaching peak strength of around 100 mph winds later in the week. The storm is expected to transition into a post-tropical system by Thursday as it moves northeast into the open Atlantic.

Imelda formed from a disturbance that forecasters were monitoring last week near Hispaniola, designated AL94, which the NHC had warned could bring impacts along the U.S. East Coast from Florida to North Carolina. While the storm has moved away from the mainland, its interaction with Humberto is influencing track and intensity forecasts.