Subtropical Storm Josephine forms off U.S. East Coast
Subtropical Storm Josephine has formed off the U.S. East Coast and is forecast to move northeastward away from the United States, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). Large swells and coastal flooding are already affecting parts of the coast.
At 5 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Josephine was centered about 265 miles south of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and 585 miles southwest of Halifax, Nova Scotia, according to the NHC. It has maximum sustained winds of 65 mph and is moving north at 6 mph.
The storm is expected to turn northeastward and accelerate on Thursday, taking it farther from the United States. Its forecast track keeps it south of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland before it turns eastward on Friday.
Josephine developed from a non-tropical low that forecasters had been monitoring this week. The NHC began issuing advisories after thunderstorms became organized near its center and the system acquired subtropical characteristics.
Some strengthening is expected through early Thursday. Josephine is then forecast to become a non-tropical storm with hurricane-force winds, reaching 80 mph early Friday.
The storm has a large wind field, with winds of 40 mph extending up to 415 miles from its center. Gale-force gusts are possible along portions of the northeastern U.S. coast through Thursday.
Minor to locally moderate coastal flooding is ongoing along parts of the Mid-Atlantic coast and is expected to continue around high tides through the rest of the week.
Large swells are also affecting much of the eastern United States and portions of Atlantic Canada. The NHC says those swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip currents.
Josephine is forecast to begin weakening late Friday and eventually be absorbed by a larger storm system over the North Atlantic.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
