Article first published: Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, 4 a.m. ET

Article last updated: Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, 7 p.m. ET

System type: Tropical depression

The National Hurricane Center’s 7 p.m. Saturday advisory reported that Nine found new strength and has evolved from a potential tropical cyclone into a tropical depression with sustained winds of 35 mph. The tropical depression is in the Atlantic Ocean, 210 miles northwest of the Eastern Tip of Cuba and 95 miles south-southwest of the Central Bahamas. It is moving to the northwest at 5 mph, with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph.

“… the center of the system is expected to move across the central and northwestern Bahamas on Sunday and Sunday night and approach the southeast U.S. coast early next week”, according to meteorologists. They also said “Strengthening is expected during the next few days, and the system is forecast to become a tropical storm tonight or early Sunday and a hurricane by late Monday or Tuesday.”

Forecasters issued a tropical storm watch and a tropical storm warning for portions of the Bahamas.

Watches and warnings currently in effect

• Tropical Storm Warning for:

• Central Bahamas, including Cat Island, the Exumas, Long Island, Rum Cay, and San Salvador

• Portions of the northwestern Bahamas, including Eleuthera, New Providence, the Abacos, Berry Islands, Andros island, and Grand Bahama Island

• Tropical Storm Watch for East coast of Florida from the Palm Beach/Martin County Line to the Flagler/Volusia County Line

Meaning of the different watches and warnings

A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area, within 36 hours.

A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area, generally within 48 hours.

Anyone in the Bahamas and along the southeast coast of the United States from Florida to North Carolina should monitor the progress of this system. Additional watches or warnings could be required tonight or on Sunday.

Hazards affecting land

Wind. Tropical storm conditions are expected in the central Bahamas beginning tonight or early Sunday and in the northwestern Bahamas on Sunday. Tropical storm conditions are possible in the watch area along the east coast of Florida on Monday.

Rainfall. Tropical Depression Nine is expected to produce additional rainfall of 4 to 8 across eastern Cuba and the Bahamas. Across Hispaniola, Jamaica, and portions of central and southern Cuba, an additional 1 to 3 inches of rain is expected. This rainfall will likely produce flash and urban flooding. Mudslides are also possible in areas of higher terrain across eastern Cuba.

By early next week, moisture from Tropical Depression Nine is expected to bring a threat of heavy rainfall from the east coast of Florida northward into the eastern Carolinas. Rainfall amounts of 3 to 6 inches are possible, with localized totals of 10 inches across portions of the coastal Carolinas. This rainfall could result in flash, urban, and river flooding. Changes in the forecast track could result in adjustments to these rainfall totals.

For a complete forecast of rainfall and flash flooding associated with the system, please see the National Weather Service Storm Total Rainfall Graphic, available at hurricanes.gov/graphics_at4.shtml?rainqpf.

Storm surge. A storm surge will raise water levels by as much as 1 to 3 feet above ground level along the immediate coast in areas of onshore winds in the northwestern Bahamas. Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large waves.

Surf. Swells generated by this system and Hurricane Humberto will affect portions of the Bahamas this weekend, and spread to portions of the southeast U.S. coast early next week. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

A depiction of rip current risk for the United States can be found at: hurricanes.gov/graphics_at4.shtml?ripCurrents

Source: National Hurricane Center