Additional Coverage:
- As Tropical Storm Jerry churns in the Atlantic, Priscilla and a nor’easter threaten U.S. with flooding (nbcnews.com)
Multi-Storm Activity Brings Flood Threats to US Coasts and Southwest
MIAMI – Forecasters are closely monitoring a flurry of tropical activity across both the Atlantic and Pacific basins this week, with several systems poised to bring heavy rain and flooding to various parts of the United States and surrounding regions. Threats range from coastal inundation in the Southeast to flash flooding in the Southwest.
Southeast Coast Braces for Significant Flooding
Along the U.S. Southeast coast, an unnamed coastal storm, combined with unusually high “King Tides” – occurring as the moon is closer to Earth – threatens days of heavy winds and potential coastal flooding. The impacts are expected to be particularly severe along North Carolina’s vulnerable Outer Banks and in Charleston, South Carolina.
In Charleston, forecasters predict a high tide of 8.5 feet Friday morning, which would mark the 13th highest tide recorded at the city’s harbor gauge in over a century. The city has already offered free parking in some garages as Thursday’s tides, though slightly lower, still flooded a dozen streets.
The North Carolina Outer Banks are expected to experience the worst weather from Friday through the weekend. Officials warn that Highway N.C. 12 on Hatteras and Ocracoke islands will likely face closures due to ocean overwash. The region has already seen significant erosion, with 21 houses collapsing into the sea since 2020, ten of which were lost in the past month alone as Hurricanes Humberto and Imelda churned offshore.
Tropical Storm Jerry Heads for Leeward Islands
In the Atlantic, Tropical Storm Jerry is churning on its approach to the Leeward Islands. As of Thursday, Jerry was centered about 100 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands, moving northwest at 17 mph with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph. It is expected to pass just east of the northern Leeward Islands Thursday night.
A tropical storm warning is in effect for Barbuda, Anguilla, St. Barthelemy, St.
Martin, Sint Maarten, and Guadeloupe and its adjacent islands. Tropical storm watches are posted for Antigua, St.
Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat, Saba, and St. Eustatius.
Jerry is projected to strengthen into a hurricane by Saturday. Fortunately for the U.S. mainland, a Nor’easter expected to bring rain and pounding waves to the Southeast U.S. is helping steer Jerry away from the islands and into the open Atlantic.
Pacific Storms Threaten US Southwest
Meanwhile, two tropical storms, Priscilla and Raymond, are moving along Mexico’s Pacific coast.
Tropical Storm Priscilla, which had approached major hurricane status earlier this week before weakening, was centered about 170 miles west of Cabo San Lazaro, Mexico, with maximum sustained winds of approximately 50 mph. As it weakens further, Priscilla is expected to move into the U southwestern U.S., prompting flood watches for parts of Arizona, California, and Nevada through the weekend.
Tropical Storm Raymond, announced midday Thursday, becomes the third system off Mexico’s western coast. Raymond was located about 85 miles south-southeast of Zihuatanejo, Mexico, with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph, traveling west-northwest at 15 mph.
It is forecast to remain off Mexico’s southwestern coast through Friday before approaching Baja California Sur over the weekend, strengthening before weakening. A tropical storm warning is in effect from Zihuatanejo to Cabo Corrientes, Mexico.
Post-tropical cyclone Octave, also off Mexico’s Pacific coast, dissipated Thursday approximately 360 miles off the southern tip of Baja California.
Subtropical Storm Karen Forms in North Atlantic
Further afield, Subtropical Storm Karen formed Thursday in the far north Atlantic Ocean. The storm was located about 545 miles north-northwest of the Azores, packing maximum sustained winds of 45 mph. There are currently no coastal watches or warnings in effect for Karen, which tends to have a wider zone of strong winds farther from its center compared to a tropical storm.
With about seven weeks remaining in the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, meteorologists note the return of La Niña, a Pacific Ocean cooling pattern known to warp weather patterns worldwide and potentially intensify hurricanes. While it may be too late in the season to significantly impact tropical weather in the Atlantic, this La Niña could have other global impacts, from heavy rains to drought.