Humberto Strengthens to Major Hurricane, Potential Collision with Imelda Looms

As of 2025-09-26, Hurricane Humberto has surged into a powerful Category 1 storm, carrying sustained winds of over 75 mph. Forecasters now predict Humberto will continue strengthening, reaching major hurricane status by 2025-09-28 with winds exceeding 110 mph. The storm is expected to maintain that intensity as it approaches the mid-Atlantic states, including South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia.

While current models suggest Humberto will likely spin away from the U.S. mainland, a small number of tracks still warn of a potential direct hit on North Carolina, Virginia, or Maryland. However, the course of Humberto could be significantly altered by the development of a second major storm system in the Caribbean.

Meteorologists are closely monitoring a tropical wave, currently dubbed Invest 94L, which has an 80% chance of becoming Tropical Storm Imelda within the next 48 hours. Once formed, Imelda is predicted to make landfall in the Southeast, potentially impacting Florida, Georgia, or the Carolinas with severe flooding.

The real concern, though, is the possibility of a rare Fujiwhara Effect, where the two storms could interact and merge into an even larger hurricane. Humberto and Invest 94L are currently just 600 miles apart, putting them close enough for this weather phenomenon to occur next week. If the two storms do collide, it could throw all current forecasts into disarray, with an unpredictable new path emerging.