National Hurricane Center Issues Urgent Alert as Powerful Tropical System Targets U.S. Coast

Residents and coastal interests from the Bahamas to the Carolinas are watching the tropics closely as the National Hurricane Center (NHC) tracks a trio of Atlantic systems led by strengthening Tropical Storm Humberto. The 11 a.m. EDT Thursday advisory places Humberto about 350 miles east-southeast of the northern Bahamas, moving northwest at 12 mph with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph. Forecasters expect “significant strengthening” over the next 48 hours, and Humberto could reach Category 2 intensity before recurving northeast this weekend. While the current forecast keeps the center offshore, dangerous rip currents, high surf, and periods of heavy rain are likely along Florida’s east coast beginning late Friday. Trailing Humberto is Post-Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle, a sprawling North Atlantic low no longer a wind threat but still producing rough seas for trans-Atlantic shipping lanes. Closer to home, Invest 94L—an elongated area of showers draped from the eastern Caribbean to the Turks and Caicos—remains disorganized, yet the NHC gives the system a 40 percent chance of development before it nears the Southeast U.S. coast early next week. Even without a closed circulation, periods of tropical downpours could soak coastal Georgia and the Carolinas Sunday into Monday. September’s uptick is no surprise: climatological peak hurricane season runs through mid-October, and NOAA has already flagged the 2025 Atlantic season for “above-normal” activity. Warm sea-surface temperatures stretching across the Main Development Region and a favorable upper-level pattern are tipping the scales toward more storms in the coming weeks. Preparedness tips • Review evacuation routes now; small forecast shifts can change impacts quickly. • Restock hurricane kits—include prescriptions, batteries, cash, and copies of key documents. • Boat owners should have a plan to secure or relocate vessels before winds exceed 35 mph. • Monitor official updates every six hours at hurricanes.gov and enable Wireless Emergency Alerts on mobile devices. Key takeaways • Humberto likely becomes the season’s fourth hurricane tonight; coastal hazards arriving well ahead of the center. • Invest 94L could bring drenching rains and gusty squalls to the Southeast early next week regardless of development. • Gabrielle no longer a named storm but continues to churn large swells into the North Atlantic shipping lanes. The bottom line: Stay weather-aware, keep supplies topped up, and trust only authoritative sources such as the National Hurricane Center for the latest track, wind, and surge forecasts.