Tropical Storm Imelda Kills 2 in Cuba, Spares US from Catastrophic Rainfall

As of September 30th, 2025, Tropical Storm Imelda has been causing havoc in the northern Caribbean region. The storm, which is located about 140 miles north of Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas, has led to the closure of most schools in the Bahamas and has resulted in power outages in some areas. Authorities in the Bahamas have also issued mandatory evacuation orders for some islands over the weekend.

In Cuba, Imelda's impact has been even more severe, with two people reported dead in the Santiago de Cuba province. The storm has caused flooding and landslides that have cut off 17 communities, affecting more than 24,000 people. Additionally, over 18,000 people have been evacuated in the Guantánamo province.

However, the news is not all bad. Forecasters have predicted that Imelda will turn east-northeast, away from the southeastern United States coast, due to the Fujiwhara effect with Hurricane Humberto. This rare phenomenon, where two storms rotate counterclockwise around each other, is expected to "save the United States from really seeing catastrophic rainfall," according to Alex DaSilva, lead hurricane expert for AccuWeather.

While the Carolinas may still see some heavy rain and wind gusts, the impact is expected to be limited to the coastline, with the inland areas receiving only 1 to 2 inches of rain. Authorities in South Carolina and North Carolina have taken precautionary measures, including prepositioning search and rescue crews and declaring a state of emergency.

Overall, Tropical Storm Imelda has been a significant threat to the northern Caribbean region, but the Fujiwhara effect with Hurricane Humberto has helped to mitigate the potential damage to the southeastern United States.