Published on September 24, 2024 at 5:03 p.m.
We’ve been waiting for it for almost two days, it’s finally taken shape: Helene is officially a tropical storm. And it won’t stop there. Forecast.
A muscular storm
There have only been seven storms big enough to be named so far in the Atlantic basin. The eighth was expected to form around September 9, according to the average. It finally came into being on September 24, and by most forecasts it will be memorable.
The capital in the line of fire
It is still early to predict its trajectory with precision, but according to the available data, the areas of the northern west coast of Florida, between Tampa and the capital Tallahassee, would be the most affected areas. Let us recall that Tampa was hit, in 2022, by Ian, a powerful category 4 hurricane.
The latest forecast is for the storm to hit the eastern tip of Cuba Wednesday night, and possibly even brush the Yucatan Peninsula. Residents of the Florida panhandle should brace for Helene Thursday morning, when it is expected to become a Category 3 hurricane. Helene is expected to continue toward the capital, Tallahassee, late Thursday afternoon.
Flood expected
In some cases, it’s the hurricane winds that cause the most damage. For Helene, it’s forecast to be precipitation. The Talahassee area could get more than 4 inches of rain in less than 24 hours, but Helene won’t stop there. In northern Georgia and Alabama, and all the way to Tennessee, Helene could drop more than 10 inches of rain.
Floods almost certain
In Florida, the waves could cause several problems. In the enclave, south of the capital, these waves could reach between 3 m and 4.5 m. Considering the little difference in level in this state, the risk of flooding is therefore very high, and the authorities ask residents to prepare for the worst. Moreover, all the counties along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico have declared a state of emergency. The Tampa region will not be spared from the waves. They could be between 1.5 m and 2.5 m. Major flooding is expected in this area which has more than 5 million inhabitants. We can expect a lot of rain in Georgia, Alabama and as far as Tennessee on Friday.
With the collaboration of Nicolas Lessard, meteorologist.
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