TWIN tropical storms swirling in the Atlantic have sparked fears they could collide, or even tag team in a rare “Fujiwhara effect” that could hammer the East Coast.
Tropical Storm Humberto formed late Wednesday, while a second tropical wave is being closely monitored just west of Puerto Rico.
Twin tropical storms in the Atlantic could trigger the rare “Fujiwhara effect[/caption]
The storms are hovering less than 800 miles apart – close enough to trigger the so-called “Fujiwhara effect,” where two systems tug on each other and change track.
Scientists say the rare interaction could see the storms spin around, merge into one, or even shove each other closer to land.
“It’s sometimes called a binary interaction,” Phil Klotzbach, senior research scientist at Colorado State University, told the Miami Herald.
Depending on their strength, one storm can absorb the other, or both can whip around like dancers in the atmosphere.
Michael Brennan, director of the National Hurricane Center, warned that the proximity already complicates forecasts.
“The complexity here is that these systems are likely to interact with each other,” warned Michael Brennan, the center’s director.
The tropical wave, still a mass of thunderstorms, is expected to sweep over Hispaniola before possibly intensifying in the coming days.
“What emerges over the north side of Hispaniola is the real question,” Klotzbach said.
Some forecast models indicate that the storms will run parallel up the Southeast coast.
Other projections keep them offshore, sparing the Bahamas, Florida and the Carolinas from a direct hit.
But a weaker system could spell more trouble.
If the tropical wave survives its trek over the rugged mountains of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, it could get nudged closer to land.
One scenario shows Humberto pulling the weaker system inland, scraping parts of the Bahamas, Florida or even the Carolinas.
Another path keeps both systems offshore but twirling around each other in the open Atlantic.
What is the Fujiwhara effect
- A rare weather phenomenon where two storms get close enough to affect each other’s path.
- It happens when storms come within about 800 miles of each other.
- Both systems spin counterclockwise, causing them to pull and push against one another.
- Sometimes the stronger storm swallows the weaker one.
- Other times, the two “dance” around each other, looping or spiraling.
- The effect makes forecasting more unpredictable-and potentially more hazardous for coastal areas.
Still other models suggest Humberto could swallow the weaker wave entirely, which could actually be good news for coastal communities.
If that happens, the merged storm would likely track out to sea, following a similar path to Hurricane Gabrielle, which brushed past Bermuda earlier this week on its way toward the Azores.
But there’s no clear answer yet.
“We don’t know if the storm is going to form in three days, six days or never,” Brennan said.
The NHC added that uncertainty remains high, and it may take several days before the second system even earns a name.
The most recent Fujiwhara event happened in 2023, when Tropical Storm Philippe absorbed nearby Tropical Storm Rina.
That merger caused flooding and mudslides across parts of the eastern Caribbean, including Antigua, though no deaths were reported.
The most recent Fujiwhara event happened in 2023, when Tropical Storm Philippe absorbed nearby Tropical Storm Rina (stock)[/caption]
