Though the center of both storms are well offshore, a pair of hurricanes will still bring dangerous conditions to beaches along the East Coast into early October, forecasters said as they credited a rare scientific phenomenon with helping steer the worst of the danger out to sea.
"Swells generated by Hurricane Imelda and Hurricane Humberto are affecting the Bahamas and are currently spreading to much of the U.S. east coast," the National Hurricane Center warned on the morning of Sept. 30. "These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions."
Rip currents are a deadly hazard at beaches across the nation, with as many as 100 fatalities reported per year, according to the United States Lifesaving Association.
In addition, rain from the outer bands of Imelda could lead to flash flooding in portions of the Carolinas. Some storm surge flooding is also possible in Florida due to Imelda, the hurricane center said.
Bermuda is also in the line of fire from the storms.
