The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is closely monitoring the development of Invest 94L in the Atlantic as forecasters now say there’s not only a high chance it will become a tropical depression or Tropical Storm Imelda in the coming days, but also impact the U.S. East Coast.
MIAMI – The Atlantic hurricane season may be still running a bit behind schedule when it comes to the number of their namesake storms, but what the season has lacked so far in quantity it has made up for in quality, and is about to pull off a feat not seen in 90 years.
Hurricane Humberto, swirling over 450 miles off the northern Leeward Islands in the Caribbean, is set to intensify into a major hurricane (Category 3+ on the Saffir-Simpson scale) over the weekend, according to the National Hurricane Center.
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Once it does so, it will join the other two hurricanes so far this season – Erin and Gabrielle – in reaching major hurricane status. It would then become the first time since 1935 that the first three hurricanes of an Atlantic season reached such powerful intensity, according to Colorado State University hurricane expert Phil Klotzbach.
The Atlantic tropics basin has roared to life in the past couple weeks, with former Hurricane Gabrielle and Hurricane Humberto still on the map, and Invest 94L expected to become Imelda sometime over the weekend.
From a numbers count, the season is still running a bit below average. Imelda, if christened, would become the 9th named storm of the season, while the average would be 10 named storms by now. Average wise, we should be at our fifth hurricane by Sunday, and instead, we’ll still be awaiting what future-Imelda’s plans entail and if it could become the fourth hurricane.
If we do reach the trio of major hurricanes though, we will have matched the entire season average of three.
Klotzbach’s team predicted 16 named storms this season, with eight forecast to reach hurricane strength and four to reach major hurricane status. October is among the busiest months of the hurricane season, but it may have to supercharge to reach those levels.
This graphic shows the latest predictions for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season from Colorado State University.
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Even if the overall storm count ends up below average, it only takes one major hurricane making landfall to leave an indelible mark on the season.
