Post-Tropical Cyclone Isaias
Post-Tropical Cyclone Isaias is located near latitude 37.5N, longitude 84.0W, about 180 miles northeast of Nashville, Tennessee. It is moving east-northeast at 22 mph with maximum sustained winds of 25 mph. The cyclone is expected to dissipate over West Virginia this evening with no significant change in strength.
Flood Watches are in effect for portions of the Central and Southern Appalachians, while a Wind Advisory affects parts of the Central Appalachians. Additional rainfall of 1 to 3 inches is possible today, potentially causing localized flash and urban flooding.
In western North Carolina, rainfall is diminishing, but rapid river rises and flooding remain possible. A couple of tornadoes are possible across the Piedmont and Coastal Plain of Virginia and North Carolina. Swells from Isaias may cause dangerous surf and rip current conditions along much of the Gulf and Southeast U.S. coasts.
Emergency personnel from the Piedmont Triad region are strategically positioned to aid relief efforts in western North Carolina as Hurricane Isaias impacts the area. With storms expected to bring heavy rainfall and potential flooding, these teams are prepared to provide critical assistance, including water rescues and debris removal. The coordinated effort involves multiple agencies, ensuring that resources such as power restoration teams and emergency shelters are available to support affected communities. Residents across the region are advised to remain alert and follow safety guidelines issued by local authorities.
The response teams are equipped with specialized equipment to handle a range of emergency scenarios brought on by the severe weather conditions. In anticipation of the storm's effects, extensive planning has been undertaken to minimize disruption and ensure quick mobilization of resources. Local officials stress the importance of community cooperation and preparedness, encouraging individuals to have emergency kits ready and to stay informed through trusted news sources. As Hurricane Isaias progresses, the dedicated efforts of the emergency personnel aim to safeguard lives and aid in swift recovery for affected areas.
October 11, 2026, at 5:00 PM EDT
An eastern Atlantic tropical wave is along 29W, south of 20N, moving westward at 5-10 kt. It features a 1012 mb low pressure near 12.5N29W, with strong winds up to 30 kt in the SE semicircle and fresh NE to E winds in the N semicircle. Seas range from 8 to 11 ft with an area of scattered to numerous moderate isolated strong convection from 06.5N to 17N and between 20W and 36W. Meanwhile, another tropical wave along 40W, moving westward near 15 kt, shows scattered moderate isolated strong convection from 08N to 15.5N and between 38W and 44W.
A western Caribbean tropical wave located along 88.5W south of 20N continues to interact with an upper-level low, supporting scattered moderate strong convection over the NW Caribbean and adjacent portions of Central America.
Across the Gulf of America, a cold front extends across northern Florida into NE Gulf waters and further southwest. Scattered moderate convection is seen along and north of this front. 1020 mb high pressure is located near the mouth of the Mississippi River, supporting NE to E winds north of the front with seas 3 to 5 ft. Large NE swell from Isaias continues to affect the western Gulf.
In the Caribbean Sea, a large upper-level low generates scattered moderate convection across the eastern Caribbean. High pressure across the NW Atlantic is promoting moderate to fresh easterly trade winds with moderate to rough seas up to 8 ft in the Caribbean basin.
In the Atlantic Ocean, a cold front exits near 31N45W with scattered showers south of this boundary. A strong ridge over the NW Atlantic and the nearby front sustain moderate easterly winds and moderate to strong N to NE winds behind fronts between 45W and 66W. Elsewhere, high pressure SE of the Azores supports moderate to strong NE to E winds north of the monsoon trough.
Forecasts predict a cold front will enter the Atlantic off NE Florida and move to reach from Bermuda to the Upper Florida Keys by early Tuesday. This front will eventually stall and dissipate through mid-week while moderate NW winds follow another front stalling southeast of Bermuda by late Thursday night.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has forecasted an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season for 2025.
Named Storms: 8 to 14
Hurricanes: 3 to 6
Major Hurricanes (Category 3 or higher): 1 to 3
Accumulate Cyclone Energy (ACE): 95% to 180% of the median
Primary Influencing Factor: Developing El Niño conditions expected to suppress Atlantic storm activity
This forecast indicates:
Despite the lower forecast, NOAA emphasizes that it only takes one hurricane making landfall to create a major disaster, and residents in hurricane-prone areas should still prepare as usual for the season.
Hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30Key: Active Past Future
*Press/click the storm name to view additional detailsDespite fewer total storms than forecasted, the 2025 season produced several extremely intense hurricanes, including three Category 5 systems, making it one of the more powerful Atlantic seasons in recent history.
2020 - 30 named storms, 14 hurricanes
Hurricane Katrina (2005) - $125 billion
Harvey (2017) - $125 billion
Hurricane Patricia (2015) - 215 mph (345 km/h)
Hurricane Allen (1980) - 190 mph (305 km/h)
The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale is a 1 to 5 rating system that classifies hurricanes based on their sustained wind speeds and the potential damage they can cause. It helps communicate the intensity of hurricanes and the likely impacts on structures and environments. The scale does not account for factors like storm surge or rainfall, focusing only on wind speeds.
Watching the Tropics was originally built as a personal storm tracker with only the most important charts for the Atlantic hurricane basin. Numerous sites are available for tracking hurricanes, but Watching the Tropics minimizes extra "noise" and shows only what you need.
Designed in Florida by
"Watching the tropics" refers to monitoring tropical weather systems, such as tropical depressions, tropical storms, and hurricanes, in regions close to the equator. Meteorologists and weather enthusiasts often use this phrase during hurricane season to indicate that they're keeping an eye on developing weather systems that could potentially strengthen and impact areas like the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and Atlantic Ocean.
Websites, news outlets, or weather services also use "Tropics Watch" to keep the public informed about the latest developments in the tropics, especially during peak hurricane season.
An "invest" refers to an area of disturbed weather that meteorologists are investigating for potential tropical development. The term "invest" is short for "investigation area."
When an area is designated as an invest, it is given a number (between 90 and 99) followed by the letter "L" for systems in the North Atlantic or "E" for systems in the Eastern Pacific. For example, "Invest 91L" would refer to the 91st area of interest in the Atlantic basin for that season.
The designation of an invest allows meteorologists to focus their resources on a specific area, utilize specialized forecasting models, and issue updates as needed.
A tropical depression is a type of tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of less than 39 mph (34 knots or 63 km/h).
Key characteristics:
It's the first stage of development in the tropical cyclone classification used by the National Hurricane Center, followed by tropical storm and then hurricane.
