As Tropical Storm Imelda spun northward from the Bahamas, forecasters braced for a possible landfall along the Southeast U.S. coast. But instead of barreling ashore, Imelda may be headed out to sea — thanks to the unlikely influence of Hurricane Humberto.

According to the Associated Press, Humberto’s stronger circulation in the Atlantic is pulling Imelda eastward, reducing the risk of a U.S. landfall. Meteorologists say the two systems are close enough to trigger what’s known as the Fujiwhara effect, where nearby cyclones can orbit one another and alter their paths.

Scientific American notes that such interactions are rare in the Atlantic, especially this close to the U.S. coastline. While Fujiwhara events are better documented in the Pacific, it’s unusual for two Atlantic storms to “dance” in a way that spares landfall.

“The stronger storm tends to dominate the weaker one, essentially nudging it out of the way,” the Houston Chronicle explained in a report on Humberto and Imelda’s unusual interaction.

Still, forecasters caution that Imelda’s outer bands could bring dangerous surf, rip currents, and flooding to the Southeast coast, even if the storm never makes landfall. The National Hurricane Center emphasizes that the forecast remains uncertain, with small shifts potentially changing the outcome.

Even so, this storm pairing is providing meteorologists with a rare natural experiment. As Scientific American pointed out, understanding how twin storms interact could improve future forecasting models.

For now, residents of the Carolinas and other coastal states can take cautious comfort: Humberto’s unexpected role as a “blocker” may keep Imelda out to sea.

_{Editor’s Note: Reporting based on information from AP, Scientific American, and the Houston Chronicle}