Heavy rain and thunderstorms possible in Midlands as Zeta moves north, forecast shows
Tropical Storm Zeta is churning toward the Gulf Coast, where it is expected to follow the track of so many other powerful storms and hurricanes this year and eventually move toward South Carolina.
The current forecast shows the remnants of Zeta, which is expected to become a hurricane, will bring severe weather to the Midlands later this week.
Heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, isolated tornadoes, and flooding are all possible, depending on the track Zeta takes, according to the National Weather Service office in Columbia.
“Several things could change in the track, but thunderstorms are the greatest threat and the Midlands could see heavy rain,” Meteorologist Pierce Larkin told The State Monday.
Zeta is forecast to become a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico and make landfall on the northern Gulf Coast Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.
Rain could begin in the Midlands on Wednesday night, according to Larkin.
“Zeta is moving fast,” Larkin said of the storm currently moving northwest at 9 mph. “Once it makes landfall it will move pretty quickly.”
The greatest chances of severe weather in the Columbia area are on Thursday and overnight into Friday morning, the forecast shows.
The heaviest rainfall is expected to stay northwest in the Upstate region, but localized flooding is possible, according to the National Weather Service.
Even after the remnants of Zeta move out of the Midlands, flooding will remain a threat as rainfall in Upstate rivers flows south, the National Weather Service said.
Flash flooding is also possible Thursday in the Columbia area, according to the National Weather Service.
The current forecast shows between 2-4 inches of rain is possible in the Midlands, Larkin said.
There’s a 60% chance of showers in Columbia in the forecast.
Zeta is the most recent storm to affect the Columbia area after roaring north through the Gulf Coast.
It follows fellow storms that were at one point powerful hurricanes including Delta in early October, Sally in September and Laura in late August. Tropical Storm Isaias also dumped significant rainfall as it rumbled through the region at the beginning of August.
A cold front is expected to push the remnants of Zeta out of the Columbia area, according to Larkin.
After Zeta moves through the Midlands, the forecast for the end of the week and weekend is dry and cool weather. No precipitation is expected as high temperatures in Columbia could reach the upper 60s Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.
“It’s going to be a really nice fall day,” Larkin said.
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