Hurricane Jose: Rain And Storm Surge Could Batter New York City, Forecasters Say

NEW YORK, NY – After a few nerve-racking days, hurricane watchers were breathing more easily Thursday, confident the storm currently churning in the Atlantic will spare the east coast its devastating force.

But what remains of Hurricane Jose could still come "threateningly close" to New York City, the National Weather Service warned.

If that happens, sometime next week, it will bring rain and wind gusts through Tuesday and Wednesday but its power will likely be diminished. According to the NWS, there's a 5 to 10 percent chance of tropical storm-force winds of at least 39 mph.

Jose is forecast to move north between Bermuda and U.S., weakening as it goes and resulting in rough seas around the New York area, AccuWeather said.

Jose is now a tropical storm located about 500 miles north east of the Bahamas. It performed a complicated loop over the last few days, and forecasters had been worried about the path it might take once that maneuver was completed. (For more weather alerts and other local news stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

Watch: Hurricanes Jose And Irma Seen From Space

"We expect Jose to fluctuate between a minimal hurricane and tropical storm over the next several days," according to AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski.

“Even though Jose will not come close to any landmass into next week, it will generate large swells that will propagate away from the hurricane."

The rough surf is expected to affect the northeast shore through the weekend.

Next week, the storm could either be pulled out to sea or in-land, which could create gusty winds and rain for the northeast, AccuWeather's forecasters said.

“The strength and frequency of rip currents will increase at a time when many lifeguards are no longer on duty,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said.

The next names for tropical storms that form in the Atlantic are Lee and Maria.

Lead image courtesy of the National Hurricane Center