Imelda — 2025

Imelda developed from a tropical wave that moved off Africa on 16 September and became a tropical depression about 240 nautical miles south of Great Abaco Island at 0000 UTC 28 September 2025. It strengthened to Tropical Storm Imelda later that day, moved northward through the northwestern and central Bahamas on 28–29 September, then turned east-northeastward as steering currents changed. The cyclone became a hurricane by 1200 UTC 30 September and accelerated toward Bermuda, completing its life cycle as it transformed to an extratropical low on 2 October and was absorbed by another frontal system by 6 October. Imelda made a single documented landfall on Great Abaco Island in the northern Bahamas around 1200 UTC 29 September as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of about 45 kt (52 mph). The center later passed about 5–10 n mi south of Bermuda early on 2 October while the cyclone was at hurricane strength. The storm’s peak intensity was 80 kt (about 92 mph) with a minimum central pressure of 966 mb, reached by 1200–1800 UTC 1 October 2025. At peak the system was a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson scale. Storm surge observations near Bermuda showed a measured surge of 2.25 ft above normal tide levels along the north coast of St. George’s Island on 2 October (which occurred near low tide), and a peak storm tide of 1.09 ft above Mean Higher High Water during the following high tide. Heavy rains occurred across the Greater Antilles from the parent tropical wave and Imelda: Oviedo, Dominican Republic reported 21.13 in; Hatibonico and other sites in eastern Cuba reported up to 26.87 in and 22.00 in at Aserradero; southern Puerto Rico observed up to 5.69 in at a CoCoRaHS station near Cabo Rojo. In the Bahamas, Lynden Pindling International Airport (near Nassau) recorded 14.87 in and Great Abaco (Cherokee) 7.76 in. Bermuda reported only about 1.30 in at L.F. Wade International Airport. Imelda and its precursor wave caused at least 3 fatalities in the Greater Antilles: two direct deaths in Santiago de Cuba province (freshwater flooding and a landslide) and one drowning in Puerto Rico tied to the precursor wave. Flooding and landslides damaged and isolated communities across eastern Cuba (over 24,000 people affected, 18,000 evacuated in Guantánamo province), the Dominican Republic (nearly 1,000 homes damaged, two destroyed), Haiti (flooded communities and crop losses), and caused significant flooding and dozens of water rescues in parts of the Bahamas (Nassau and New Providence neighborhoods). Bermuda experienced wind damage, downed trees and power lines, about 18,000 customers lost power, and some structural damage (a roof and wall collapse at a former hotel) but no reported fatalities. Noteworthy points: genesis was anticipated many days earlier but occurred later and nearer the Bahamas than some early forecasts indicated; track forecasts were generally good at short lead times but were challenged by the nearby Hurricane Humberto and diverging model solutions at longer leads, while NHC intensity forecasts performed well overall. Extensive aircraft reconnaissance (Air Force Reserve and NOAA) and satellite data supported the analysis and the determination of the 80 kt peak.