Tropical Storm Helene is expected to develop into a major hurricane, forecast to make landfall in the Big Bend area of Florida on Thursday afternoon.
After that, the storm is expected to track north and east through Florida and Georgia, before making a right-hand turn towards Tennessee. That means Central and East Alabama should expect heavy rain, winds of 30 to 40 miles per hour and chances of flash flooding. No tornado threat is expected.
The most impact will be along the Interstate 65 corridor and east. There’s a flood watch Thursday from an area along and east of a line from Montgomery to Gadsden.
Heavy rains, up to a total of nine inches, could accumulate in some counties along the Georgia border, said Daniel Martin, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Birmingham.
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“The far eastern and southeastern counties could see a significant flooding threat,” he said. “We are forecasting four to eight inches from I-65 east, and some areas could see nine inches or more depending on how the storm tracks. Even a slight shift to the west of the center of circulation could mean heavier rain for the eastern and southeastern areas of the state.