Tropical Storm Helene inches toward Gulf Coast; hurricane watch issued

The cyclone churning in the northwestern Caribbean Sea has been upgraded to Tropical Storm Helene and is set to become a hurricane before it makes landfall along the Gulf Coast on Thursday.

Tropical storm and hurricane watches have already been issued along the northeastern Gulf Coast as the storm approaches, according to the National Hurricane Center. It will bring loads of rain to Georgia over the next few days.

It is expected to strengthen Wednesday and make landfall, potentially as a Category 3 hurricane. It is the eighth named storm of this year’s Atlantic hurricane season.

While its heaviest impact will be felt along the coast and in South Georgia, metro Atlanta is well within its projected path, and it could bring loads of rain and a marginal risk for tornadoes.

The rain will be welcomed as the state’s northern half is under moderate to severe drought conditions, especially after another day with highs topping 90 degrees Tuesday.

“Less than 2 inches of rain has fallen in metro Atlanta just in the last couple of months,” Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan said. “We don’t need it all to come back at once, but in a lot of ways, it’s kind of looking that way.”

The first line of heavy rain is expected to blanket northwest Georgia on Wednesday morning, dumping about 2 inches, with some areas potentially seeing up to 4 inches, according to the National Weather Service.

“This is before the tropical system even gets here,” Monahan said.

By Wednesday night, more bands of rain are expected, bumping totals to 7 inches or more in some locations. In fact, from Thursday to Friday morning, there will be a Level 3 of 4 risk for excessive rainfall along and east of a line from Columbus to Marietta and Gainesville, the NWS warns. That means there is a potential for flash and river flooding.

As the storm approaches landfall Thursday, there will be the potential for life-threatening surge and damaging hurricane-force winds along the Florida Panhandle.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Walter Rabon told his board Tuesday that starting Wednesday morning, the agency will be deploying staff to the State Operations Center in Atlanta to help respond to Helene.

Rabon said the agency will activate 70 game wardens with access to all-terrain vehicles, boats and other equipment to assist with disaster response across the state, plus 48 other staffers available to help clear debris, if needed. Based on the current forecast, Rabon said he expects Helene’s winds will pose more of a threat in Georgia than its rainfall, but said the agency will pivot if projections change.

”We’re preparing and we’ll be ready for whatever the storm brings to our state,” Rabon said.

Further north, isolated flash and urban flooding is possible across the southern Appalachians and the Tennessee Valley.

By Friday, the storm will start to dissipate, but clouds and rain will remain in the forecast through early next week. That will keep high temperatures in the mid-70s to mid-80s, with even lower temps in the mountains.

— Staff writer Drew Kann contributed to this article.

How to prepare

While forecasters work to nail down more information about the storm’s eventual path and intensity, several South Georgia counties are already urging residents to prepare for potential hurricane-force winds to hit areas struck by Hurricane Debby last month.

The NWS has tips to ensure you, your family and your property are prepared to weather the storm — even if that means evacuating. Residents should make sure their devices are fully charged; store or secure outdoor objects; gather supplies including nonperishable food, water and medicine; and determine an emergency evacuation route. The National Hurricane Center has more tips here.

You can find Red Cross evacuation maps for your county and state here: Alabama, Florida, and Georgia.

Updated forecast path