The Southeast & the Deep South are bracing for Hurricane Helene Thursday and Friday. This is somewhat of an usual situation where a hurricane will be impacting both the coast and inland areas in a big way. This storm will bring flooding rains and destructive severe thunderstorms and tornadoes to Florida, Georgia, Northwest South Carolina, Western North Carolina, Eastern Tennessee and Western Alabama. One of the unusual aspects of this storm is that it will be accelerating inland which will slow the weakening. Destructive winds could spread as far north as Northern Georgia and Northwest South Carolina.
Photo byNational Hurricane Center
Helene will be no ordinary hurricane by the time it makes landfall in Northern Florida late Thursday. It will likely reach category 3 status (115 mph+ winds) and could possibly reach category 4 status (130 mph+) before doing so. The presence of a strong upper air low pressure system in the Lower Mississippi Valley is helping to create a large hurricane in terms of geographic size.