Hurricane Imelda is expected to weaken into a tropical storm early Saturday morning, as it moves away from Bermuda and the U.S., according to the National Hurricane Center

Forecasters are monitoring Hurricane Imelda, now a Category 2 hurricane, as it moves to Bermuda, according to the National Hurricane Center.

According to an 11 a.m. ET advisory on Wednesday, Oct. 1 from the NHC, the hurricane is located about 340 miles west-southwest of Bermuda.

The advisory also states that the storm is moving east-northeast at 20 mph with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph toward Bermuda and away from the southeastern United States. Bermuda is currently under a hurricane warning. Imelda is expected to pass near Bermuda on Wednesday, Oct.1.

It is then expected to drift away from the island by the afternoon of Thursday, Oct. 2. Imelda is set to gradually weaken in the coming days.

Hurricane Imelda tracker

This forecast track shows the most likely path of the center of the storm. It does not illustrate the full width of the storm or its impacts, and the center of the storm is likely to travel outside the cone up to 33% of the time.

Hurricane Imelda spaghetti models

Illustrations include an array of forecast tools and models, and not all are created equal. The hurricane center uses only the top four or five highest-performing models to help make its forecasts.

Hurricane watches and warnings

While there are no tropical storm or hurricane watches in place for the U.S., significant impacts are expected as Humberto and Hurricane Imelda create dangerous marine conditions.

The storm, along with remnants of Humberto, is expected to create swells that can cause "dangerous surf and life-threatening rip current conditions," affecting beaches on much of the U.S. East Coast, the northern Caribbean, the Bahamas, and Bermuda, according to the NHC.

NHC also tracking Humberto

Humberto is no longer a hurricane and has merged with a front, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Remnants of the storm were moving toward the east-northeast at nearly 23 mph with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph, according to a 10 a.m. ET advisory on Wednesday, Oct. 1.

Humberto was a powerful cyclone until Oct. 1, when it merged with a frontal boundary, which is a boundary with two different air masses that have different temperature winds, according to the National Weather Service.

How do hurricanes form?

Hurricanes are born in the tropics, above warm water. Clusters of thunderstorms can develop over the ocean when water temperatures exceed 80 degrees. If conditions are right, the clusters swirl into a storm known as a tropical wave or tropical depression.

A tropical depression becomes a named tropical storm once its sustained wind speeds reach 39 mph. When its winds reach 74 mph, the storm officially becomes a hurricane.

Prepare now for hurricanes

Delaying potentially lifesaving preparations could mean waiting until it’s too late. "Get your disaster supplies while the shelves are still stocked, and get that insurance checkup early, as flood insurance requires a 30-day waiting period," the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recommends.

  • Develop an evacuation plan. If you are at risk from hurricanes, you need an evacuation plan. Now is the time to begin planning where you would go and how you would get there.
  • Assemble disaster supplies. Whether you’re evacuating or sheltering in place, you’re going to need supplies not just to get through the storm but for a possibly lengthy aftermath, NOAA said.
  • Get an insurance checkup and document your possessions. Contact your insurance company or agent now and ask for an insurance checkup to make sure you have enough insurance to repair or even replace your home and belongings. Remember, home and renters insurance don’t cover flooding, so you’ll need a separate policy for those. Flood insurance is available through your company, agent or the National Flood Insurance Program.
  • Create a family communication plan. NOAA says you should take the time now to write down a hurricane plan and share it with your family. Determine family meeting places and make sure to include an out-of-town location in case of evacuation.
  • Strengthen your home. Now is the time to improve your home’s ability to withstand hurricanes. Trim trees and install storm shutters, accordion shutters, and impact glass, and seal outside wall openings.

This story was updated with new information.

Contributing: Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY

Julia is a Trending reporter for USA TODAY and covers all things Labubu and Pop Mart, scientific studies and trending news. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Where is Hurricane Imelda headed? Track the Category 2 storm's path

Reporting by Julia Gomez, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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