Subtropical Storm Josephine Tracker: 65 MPH Winds Off Nantucket as Coastal Flooding Threatens North Carolina to New England

Subtropical Storm Josephine — the 10th named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season — was spinning about 195 miles southeast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, on Thursday morning with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm is pulling away from the East Coast, but it is still driving coastal flooding, dangerous surf and gusty winds from North Carolina to New England into Friday.

Key Facts

• Location (Thursday morning): about 195 miles southeast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, moving northeast and accelerating away from the coast
• Strength: maximum sustained winds of 65 mph; forecasters say Josephine could briefly reach Category 1 hurricane strength late Thursday before turning post-tropical
• How it formed: an October nor'easter off the East Coast gained tropical characteristics over the Gulf Stream and was named by the National Hurricane Center on Wednesday, October 21
• Main US impacts: coastal flooding of up to about 4 feet above normal at high tide, wind gusts over 40 mph, beach erosion and dangerous rip currents from the Outer Banks to Cape Cod
• Track ahead: Josephine passes south of Newfoundland, Canada, on Friday, with rain and wind reaching parts of Atlantic Canada through Saturday
• The relief: most of the storm's heavy rain stays over the open Atlantic, and much of the East Coast is expected to stay dry into the weekend

Where is Storm Josephine now, and where is it going?

As of Thursday morning, Josephine sat roughly 195 miles southeast of Nantucket with 65 mph winds and was beginning to accelerate northeast, away from the Eastern Seaboard. Forecasters expect some strengthening over the next day or so — the storm could briefly carry winds of Category 1 hurricane strength (74 mph or higher) by late Thursday — before cooler North Atlantic waters strip away its tropical characteristics and it becomes a post-tropical storm. The forecast track carries Josephine south of Newfoundland on Friday as a powerful ocean storm, then out into the open Atlantic, with its fringes brushing Atlantic Canada with rain and wind through Saturday.

Which US areas are still being affected?

The storm itself is offshore, but its effects are not. The gap in pressure between Josephine and strong high pressure over the eastern US is driving persistent northeasterly winds along the coast. NOAA's Weather Prediction Center warned of coastal flooding, dangerous marine conditions and beach erosion at high tide from southern New Jersey through the North Carolina coast, with wind gusts in excess of 40 mph possible — especially around the Outer Banks, where this week's pounding surf has already damaged dunes and sections of NC 12, the main highway. Coastal flooding remains possible around high tide from the Mid-Atlantic to Cape Cod through Friday, and forecasters stress the biggest dangers are flooded coastal roads at high tide, beach erosion and life-threatening rip currents — not wind damage inland.

Why did a nor'easter get a hurricane-season name?

Because it became a hybrid. A nor'easter is a non-tropical storm, but after days spinning over the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, this one developed enough tropical structure for the National Hurricane Center to classify it as a subtropical storm — a system with features of both storm types — on Wednesday afternoon. That made Josephine the 10th named storm of the 2026 Atlantic season, a season running well behind schedule: the 10th storm typically forms in late September, and a strong El Niño has helped suppress Atlantic activity this year. AccuWeather forecasters note Josephine's coastal impacts, while significant, are not expected to match the late-September nor'easter that battered the same coastline.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Storm Josephine going to hit the United States?

No direct landfall is expected. Josephine is tracking northeast over the open Atlantic, passing south of Newfoundland on Friday. The US impacts are indirect: coastal flooding at high tide, beach erosion, rip currents and gusts over 40 mph from North Carolina to New England into Friday.

How strong is Josephine?

Maximum sustained winds were 65 mph on Thursday morning, per the National Hurricane Center. The storm may briefly strengthen to Category 1 strength late Thursday before weakening into a post-tropical storm over colder water.

When will conditions improve on the East Coast?

Through Friday for most areas, as Josephine accelerates away. Coastal flooding is tied to high-tide cycles, so shore communities should expect one or two more rounds of minor to moderate flooding before conditions ease into the weekend, which looks mostly dry for the East Coast.

Storm details follow National Hurricane Center advisories and NOAA forecasts as of Thursday, October 22; conditions can change quickly, so follow your local National Weather Service office for warnings in your area.