Tropical Storm Helene has officially formed as it heads toward Florida and could be a hurricane before bringing heavy rain to parts of South Carolina later this week, weather forecasts show.
According to the National Hurricane Center, the storm could make landfall as a hurricane in the Big Bend area. Helene is expected to generate between 3 and 6 inches of rainfall, with isolated totals of 10 inches — bringing with it the risk of flooding — to the Southeast, NHC states.
“The system is expected to intensify into a major hurricane before it approaches the northeastern Gulf Coast on Thursday, and the potential for life-threatening storm surge and damaging hurricane-force winds along the coast of the Florida Panhandle and the Florida west gulf coast is increasing,” NHS states.
When and where will the storm impact SC?
The storm is expected to move into the Southeast and South Carolina late Thursday evening and early Friday morning.
Much of the Upstate and the Midlands are expected to have a 15% chance of excessive rainfall that will lead to rapid flooding on Thursday. The tornado threat is expected across the western half of the Midlands and Central Savannah River Area of Georgia and will peak on Thursday and Friday morning. Gusty winds up to 40 mph are possible Thursday and Friday morning.
A portion of the Upstate that includes Greenville and Anderson may experience a higher 40% chance of heavy rainfall that will lead to flooding, the forecast shows.
The rest of South Carolina only faces a small 5% of excessive rainfall and flooding from the storm.
