The storm system could become the next named storm, Helene, on Monday. Forecasters are warning of floods and storm surge along the Carolina coasts hit hard by Debby in August.
A storm system was spinning off the coast of the Carolinas Monday, threatening to bring winds up to 50 miles per hour, widespread flooding and storm surge to an area that was already battered by Tropical Storm Debby last month.
What is currently being called Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight will likely make landfall near Georgetown, S.C., late on Monday. While a few factors may prevent it from becoming the next named storm, Helene, the hazards will be the same.
Forecasters are warning of widespread flooding, with four to eight inches of rain and a few feet of storm surge expected.
Tropical Storm Debby brought more that a foot of rain across some parts of the Carolinas in August, submerging vehicles and even putting waste sites at risk. Forecasters did not expect as much rain for Monday. Tropical storm warnings were issued from south of Charleston, S.C., to north of Wilmington, N.C.
Key things to know
Most of the rain will fall near or north of the storm’s center, with widespread totals of four to eight inches and a few areas getting nearly 10 inches of rainfall in North Carolina.
Forecasters out of Wilmington, N.C., said they had very low confidence in the exact details of where the heaviest rain would fall and that the location of the worst rainfall could change.
Even with no name, the storm could produce a storm surge of one to three feet along the coast.
As the storm’s center nears land this afternoon, it is expected to weaken but still have tropical storm-force winds of over 39 m.p.h. and higher gusts.
The chances of the system becoming a tropical or subtropical cyclone over the next twelve hours may be starting to decrease, forecasters said early Monday morning.
A typical storm system that moves across the United States will get its energy from the interaction of cold and warm air masses, which forecasters believe is happening off the coast of the Carolinas this morning. A tropical cyclone, like a tropical storm or hurricane, will get its power from warm, humid air rising from the ocean’s surface.
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