Tropical Storm Helene To Affect South Carolina: Latest Predictions
In the Gulf of Mexico, a developing system may become Tropical Storm Helene and eventually take on hurricane status before sliding into the Southeast early this week, weather forecasters said.
Tropical Storm Helene Develops
The system, currently known as Invest 97L, is exhibiting some early signs of organization with showers and thunderstorms coalescing around a broad area of low pressure centerexternalActionCode. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) predicts that this system will become a tropical storm by the beginning of the week. When it reaches tropical strength, it will become Helene.
The new Weather Channel forecast has the storm becoming a hurricane by late Tuesday. It is forecast to charge into the southern Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday as a hurricane, with high surf and rainbands set up along sections of the coast in Florida.
TrackPredicted Landfall in FL Panhandle
The storm has not maintained a steady path, but current models predict that Helene will land south as a hurricane at the panhandle of Florida by Thursday. Rainfall as well as strong winds would spread along the Gulf Coast with heavy rain and the potential for flooding.
Effects on South Carolina
While South Carolina is not projected to take a direct hit, the storm is likely to bring heavy rains and strong winds later on this week. “Pretty good consensus the storm would form in the Gulf, move north toward Florida Panhandle then slowly move inland from there,” said Chris Landolfi, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service (NWS) in West Columbia. We could have an impact later this week, mostly with heavier rain and gusty winds.”
But depending on exactly how the storm tracks and how strong it is, parts of South Carolina could also see as much as flash flooding throughout the week.
The NWS says it will have more specifics on the possible impact in South Carolina in the next couple days.
Other Areas to Watch in Weather Up ahead it looks like a planet on the far side of a rapidly intensifying weather storm
In addition to Helene, the NHC is tracking a tropical wave in the Atlantic between west Africa and the Cabo Verde Islands. There is a 70-percent chance the system will blossom into a tropical depression later this week as it tracks across the central Atlantic.
Preparing for the Storm
Those in the Gulf Coast, from Louisiana to Florida should be prepared and check for updates. Living in these areas, you should prepare for hurricanes take into account the possibility of evacuation or serious weather warnings.
Continue to monitor the status of Tropical Storm Helene and new developments in tropics from the NHC as well as local weather official outlets.