Hurricane Imelda Expected Tuesday, But Its Atlantic Path Spares U.S. Travel

The latest storm of the 2025 Atlantic season, Tropical Storm Imelda, is expected to become a Hurricane on Tuesday, but its path suggests it is likely to have a minimal impact on travel.

As of 5 a.m. on Monday morning, Imelda was located about 60 miles south of Grand Abaco Island in the Caribbean, traveling north toward Cape Canaveral, Florida, at approximately 8 mph. While the storm is not yet producing winds that would qualify it as a hurricane—maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph—it is expected to gain strength and reach hurricane status on Tuesday.

The storm should bring tropical storm conditions to the northwestern Bahamas on Monday, rainfall to eastern Cuba and the Bahamas on Tuesday, and some heavy rainfall across the coastal Carolinas also into Tuesday.

The good news is that despite the storm strengthening, the NHC expects Imelda to make a turn toward the east, away from Florida and the U.S. coast, and then head out toward the Atlantic Ocean. Unless the forecast drastically changes, widespread travel changes are not likely to occur.

Unlike the last few storms tracked by the NHC, Imelda is generating warnings and alerts. As of Monday, the NHC has a Tropical Storm Warning in effect for the northwest Bahamas, including the Abacos, Grand Bahama Island, and the surrounding keys. If and when the storm becomes a hurricane on Tuesday, those warnings could be upgraded and expanded.

Travel Changes

As of Monday morning, only one major carrier has issued a waiver because of Imelda.

American Airlines has a change fee waiver in place for Bermuda’s L.F. Wade International Airport (BDA) for travel through October 1. Fliers can change their flight to a new one through October 3 without paying a change fee, as long as they stay with the same origin and destination cities, and in the same cabin.

More changes have come with cruise lines.

• Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas is changing from an Eastern Caribbean to a Western Caribbean itinerary, which includes skipping a call at CocoCay.
• Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas is also changing from a Bahamas itinerary to an Atlantic Canada itinerary.
• Both Utopia of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas are skipping Nassau.
• The Enchantment of the Seas is switching from a Bahamas itinerary to a Western Caribbean itinerary.
• Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Wish, currently on a Sept. 26 sailing out of Port Canaveral, is skipping Nassau.
• MSC Cruises’ MSC Meraviglia will replace its planned call to Port Canaveral on Sept. 30 with a day at sea, then go to Port Canaveral on Oct. 1 instead of Nassau.