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Forecasters Monitor Tropical Storm Humberto, Rare Weather Phenomenon Possible
Tropical Storm Humberto, the eighth named storm of this hurricane season, is currently churning over open waters just north of the Caribbean. While current forecasts suggest Humberto will not make landfall, meteorologists are closely watching a developing situation that could lead to a rare atmospheric occurrence.
There’s a slight possibility that Humberto could interact with another developing system nearby in the western Atlantic. Although deemed an unlikely scenario by CBS News meteorologist Nikki Nolan, such a collision could trigger what’s known as the Fujiwhara effect. This unusual phenomenon involves two storms merging and becoming entangled around a newly formed, common center.
The National Weather Service describes the Fujiwhara effect as an “intense dance” between tropical storms. It typically occurs when storms approach each other closely enough to reach a common point, either joining forces or spinning around each other before continuing on their individual trajectories. The outcome largely depends on the characteristics of the storms involved, particularly their comparative strength and size.
According to Nolan, if one system is significantly stronger or larger than the other, the weaker storm is usually absorbed or “overrun.” However, if two systems are comparably strong, they tend to “dance around each other” before separating. While it’s scientifically possible for a larger system to absorb a smaller one and grow in intensity, it’s a very rare outcome.
Humberto intensified into a tropical storm Wednesday night and is expected to move northwest and strengthen over the coming days. The National Hurricane Center anticipates it will become a hurricane within approximately 24 hours. As of Thursday morning, the storm was located about 465 miles east-northeast of the northern Leeward Islands, packing maximum sustained winds of 50 mph.
Meanwhile, officials are also tracking a second system in the northeastern Caribbean, which is expected to develop into a tropical depression and potentially Tropical Storm Imelda over the weekend. This system is forecast to strengthen as it tracks toward the Bahamas, raising concerns for storm surge, wind, and rainfall impacts along coastal areas of the southeastern United States, from Florida to North Carolina.
While Nolan notes that both “tropical troubles” could interact via the Fujiwhara effect, she emphasizes that the developing system appears much weaker and further away from Humberto. Therefore, any interaction that does occur may not result in a dramatic gravitational “dance.” Should a collision take place, forecasters expect only minor adjustments to the storms’ anticipated paths.