Tropical Storm Helene’s track means rain, wind & tornado threats in Midlands. Here’s when
Tropical Storm Helene formed in the Caribbean on Tuesday morning, and its track has it traveling through South Carolina where it’s expected to bring severe weather to the Columbia area, according to the National Weather Service.
Heavy rain, tornadoes and strong winds are the primary threats to the Midlands, National Weather Service meteorologists said Tuesday in a briefing.
Helene could be a strong hurricane when it makes landfall in Florida on Thursday night, the same time its effects could beginto impact the Midlands, according to the briefing.
No warnings, watches or advisories have been issued, but that could change as the storm moves further inland and closer to South Carolina.
While the center of Tropical Storm Helene currently is not tracking over the Columbia area, that does not mean the Midlands won’t feel the impacts. The National Weather Service said Helene is predicted to become “a very large storm.” Because of that size, storm surge, wind, and rainfall impacts will extend well away from the center, the National Hurricane Center said.
Heavy rainfall is expected to develop in the Columbia area on Thursday night, the National Weather Service said. More than 3 inches of rain could fall in Columbia by Friday morning, according to the forecast.
Localized amounts in other areas of the Midlands could be higher. The threat of possible flooding was not mentioned in the briefing.
More rain is expected Friday, when there’s an 80% chance of precipitation, the forecast shows.
Thursday night through Friday morning is the peak period when the threat of tornadoes forming is the greatest, according to the briefing.
The western part of the Midlands is at greatest risk for tornadoes and heavy rains, the National Weather Service said.
Strong winds are also a threat, as gusts as powerful as 40 mph are possible on Thursday night and Friday morning, according to the briefing.
Powerful winds and tornadoes could cause considerable damage to trees and branches, in addition to mobile homes, roofs and outbuildings. Vehicles would also be under siege in the case of a tornado.
Damage to trees and branches creates the possibility of downed power lines and outages.
Conditions in Columbia are expected to clear by Friday night, and the forecast for Saturday calls for sunny weather with a possible high temperature in the mid 80s.
Showers could return by the end of the weekend, as there’s a 30% chance of rain on Sunday, the forecast shows.
Things will be much wetter in Florida, where life-threatening storm surge and damaging hurricane-force winds are expected, according to the National Weather Service.
As of 11 a.m. Tuesday, Tropical Storm Helene is moving northwest at about 11.5 mph and had maximum sustained winds of 46 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
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