Overview

• Tropical Depression Nine formed north of eastern Cuba and is expected to become Tropical Storm Imelda within a day as it crosses the Bahamas and tracks toward the Southeast U.S.
• Tropical storm warnings are in effect for the central and northwestern Bahamas, a tropical storm watch covers Florida’s east coast from the Palm Beach–Martin county line to the Volusia–Flagler line, and up to 3 feet of surge and 4–8 inches of rain are forecast in the Bahamas with 8–12 inches in eastern Cuba.
• South Carolina declared a statewide emergency and began local preparations in Charleston, and North Carolina issued a state of emergency as FEMA readied support for potential flooding and coastal hazards.
• The National Hurricane Center cautions that heavy rain, storm surge and tropical-storm-force winds could affect Florida to the Carolinas and the Mid-Atlantic early next week, with a slow or stalled approach near the Carolinas elevating flood risk.
• Hurricane Humberto intensified to Category 5 over the central Atlantic and is expected to stay offshore while sending dangerous swells toward the northern Leewards, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Bermuda; forecasters are flying hurricane hunters and launching extra weather balloons to refine the dual-storm forecast.