'Potential Tropical Cyclone' taking aim at southeast U.S.

Dangerous tropical weather brewed Friday in the Atlantic Ocean with Humberto intensifying into a major Category 3 hurricane and a system forecasters dubbed “Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine” striking the Caribbean and taking aim at the southeast United States.

Hurricane Humberto had maximum sustained winds of 115 mph, the National Hurricane Center said. Humberto was expected to keep strengthening over the next several days and churned Friday afternoon about 430 miles northeast of the northern Leeward Islands.

Humberto could produce life-threatening surf and rip currents for the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Bermuda over the weekend.

Meanwhile, a tropical storm warning associated with Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine was issued for the central Bahamas. The center of the tropical disturbance was about 55 miles north-northwest of the eastern tip of Cuba, forecasters said. It had top winds of 35 mph. A tropical storm watch was issued for portions of the northwestern Bahamas.

The hurricane center said the potential cyclone was likely to become a tropical depression — the next name in the alphabet would be Imelda — on Saturday. By Sunday, it could be a tropical storm.

The forecast put the system on track to approach the southeast U.S. over the weekend and into early next week.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency over the storm Friday evening saying while there was uncertainty, the state needed to prepare. The declaration allows state emergency officials to begin coordination with local and federal governments and assures people will be eligible for federal aid.

Earlier in the day, crews in Charleston, South Carolina, were getting sandbags together, checking high water vehicles and preparing pumps to get any floodwater out of the city.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency urged residents of coastal areas in the Southeast U.S. on Thursday to pay attention as that weather system continues to develop, saying its staff “is ready to respond swiftly, if needed.”


Photo:  Hurricane Humberto as of Friday.   (NOAA via AP)