Bermuda reeled from Hurricane Imelda's fury on Wednesday, as the storm barreled through with winds gusting up to 100 miles per hour. The Category 2 hurricane knocked out power to thousands across the tiny island chain, leaving residents to huddle in the dark amid howling gales and pounding waves. Indeed, this came hot on the heels of Hurricane Humberto's brush earlier in the week, marking a brutal double punch for the Atlantic outpost. Officials there described it as a serious weather ordeal, with homes battered and streets slick from heavy rain.
Imelda's path didn't stop at Bermuda. As it churned eastward, the storm whipped up dangerous surf along the US East Coast, from Florida up through the Carolinas. Coastal flood warnings lit up in North Carolina's Outer Banks, where powerful waves eroded beaches and collapsed at least five homes. Rip currents turned deadly, forcing beachgoers to stay clear while lifeguards issued stark advisories. Moreover, the National Weather Service reported breaking waves up to 10 feet high, fueling isolated flooding in low-lying areas. It's a stark reminder of how these tropical beasts can lash far beyond their core track.
By Thursday evening, Imelda had weakened to a post-tropical storm, racing away from Bermuda at 30 mph. The island's weather service noted lingering showers and temperatures hovering around 77 degrees Fahrenheit, but the worst seemed over. Still, cleanup crews faced a messy tally: downed trees, flooded roads, and scattered debris. However, Bermuda's storied resilience—honed over centuries of such tempests—shone through, with no immediate reports of fatalities.
Across the Atlantic, the 2025 hurricane season shows no signs of slowing, with forecasters eyeing potential new systems. One can't help but wonder how communities from Bermuda to the mainland will brace for whatever comes next.