Good evening. We’re tracking a significant weather event as Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine, currently swirling in the western Caribbean, has raised concerns for the southeastern United States.
As the region is still recovering from the recent impact of Hurricane Francine, residents from Florida to Louisiana are on high alert.
AccuWeather reports that this storm system could intensify into a Category 2 hurricane by mid-week, with winds potentially reaching 120 mph by Thursday. There’s even a chance it could escalate to a Category 3 storm. If it does reach hurricane status, it will be named Helene.
Currently, the system, designated as Invest 97L by the National Hurricane Center (NHC), is moving northward and gaining strength from the warm ocean waters.
Heavy rain and tornado risks are expected as the storm approaches, impacting the southeastern U.S. later this week.Tropical storm warnings are already in effect for parts of Mexico and Cuba. The NHC expects the storm to produce 4 to 8 inches of rain over western Cuba and the Cayman Islands, with isolated areas receiving up to 12 inches.
In addition to heavy rainfall, there’s a risk of spin-up tornadoes across much of Florida, parts of the Panhandle, southern Georgia, and southeast Alabama.
This risk is expected to shift northward on Friday, affecting Georgia, eastern Alabama, southwestern South Carolina, and parts of southeast Tennessee.
Rainfall will begin spreading into the southeast U.S. by Wednesday, continuing through Friday, which could lead to flash and river flooding in affected areas.
As climate change continues to drive more extreme weather events, the recent frequency and intensity of hurricanes are causing concern.
Earlier this year, Hurricane Beryl’s devastation across the Gulf Coast highlighted the increasing severity of storms, with some scientists even proposing a new Category 6 rating for “mega-hurricanes.”
Stay tuned for further updates and ensure you’re prepared as we continue to monitor this developing situation.