Home › 2024 › September › Page 19

Monthly Archives: September 2024

6:49AM September 26, 2024

Posted on by

HURRICANE HELENE TO MOVE ON SHORE THIS EVENING; SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS FOR PARTS OF FLORIDA AND GEORGIA… Large Hurricane Helene is set to make landfall this evening along the Florida Gulf Coast. While the hurricane is quite large and impacts will extend hundreds of miles from the center of circulation, the specific landfall point is set to happen between Mexico Beach and Perry, FL. This will put places like Port St. Joe, Apalachicola, St. George Island, Carrabelle, St. Marks, Tallahassee, Perry, and surrounding areas in an extreme danger zone where extensive impacts are possible. Major impacts are also likely in parts of southern Georgia as the storm quickly moves inland tonight. Hurricane force wind gusts will be possible as far north as Macon and potentially as far north as Atlanta early tomorrow morning. Fortunately for our local area in south Alabama and northwest Florida, significant local impacts are not expected.

WHAT TO EXPECT TODAY INTO TONIGHT ACROSS S.W. ALABAMA & N.W. FLORIDA… Rain is expected at times on today into this evening. Breezy (15-25 mph) conditions are likely across the region, particularly if you’re further to the east. Tropical storm force wind gusts may be possible this evening near Choctawhatchee Bay and in parts of Okaloosa and Covington counties. Higher wind gusts are possible just across the county line in parts of Walton, Geneva, and Coffee counties. Significant local impacts, however, continue to NOT be expected across southwest Alabama or northwest Florida due to Hurricane Helene. I realize hurricane anxiety is a real thing that many people seem to have. If you’re in my local area in southwest Alabama or northwest Florida (west of Destin), please breathe easier. Impacts possible, but NO major impacts locally. Rain and storms at times today, but the bigger impacts will happen to our east.

TROPICAL STORM WARNING – WALTON, BAY COUNTIES… A Tropical Storm Warning is now in effect for Walton, Holmes, Washington (FL), and Bay counties in the Florida Panhandle. Tropical storm force winds (40-60 mph) may be possible in these communities, specifically in areas closer to the coast. There is a chance some trees will fall, meaning power outages may become a concern. Widespread amounts of 4 to 7 inches of total rainfall are expected. Tornadoes are much less likely in this zone compared to places farther to the east as this zone is expected to be on the western side of the large circulation center. Peak storm surge of 1-2 feet and some nuisance-type coastal flooding will be possible in and near the bays around Panama City and Tyndall AFB.

COFFEE, DALE, HENRY, HOUSTON, GENEVA, BARBOUR, PIKE COUNTIES IN SE ALABAMA… This includes Dothan, Enterprise, Eufaula, Troy, Elba, Geneva, Samson, Ozark, Abbeville, Headland, Slocomb, and surrounding areas in southeast Alabama. Tropical storm force wind gusts (40-50 mph) may be possible. Hurricane force wind gusts may be possible in parts of Houston and Henry counties. There is a chance some trees will fall, meaning power outages may become a concern. Widespread amounts of 4 to 7 inches of total rainfall are expected. Tornadoes are much less likely in this zone compared to places farther to the east as this zone is expected to be on the western side of the large circulation center. Damaging wind gusts will be possible closer to the Chattahoochee River. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Pike, Barbour, Coffee, Dale, and Geneva counties. A Hurricane Warning is in effect for Houston and Henry counties.

TROPICAL STORM WARNING FOR AUBURN, AL… In addition to the aforementioned southeast Alabama counties, a Tropical Storm Warning is now also in effect for inland counties in east Alabama. Bullock, Macon, Russell, Lee, and Chambers counties in east Alabama are involved in a Tropical Storm Warning. This includes places like Auburn, Opelika, Tuskegee, Union Springs, Valley, Lanett, and Phenix City. Tropical storm force wind gusts (40-50 mph) may be possible. There is a chance some trees will fall, meaning power outages may become a concern. Widespread amounts of 4 to 7 inches of total rainfall are expected. Tornadoes are much less likely in this zone compared to places farther to the east as this zone is expected to be on the western side of the large circulation center.

TROPICAL STORM WARNING FOR ALL OF NORTH GEORGIA… The entire northern half of the state of Georgia is now under a Tropical Storm Warning, including areas near Atlanta and Athens. Tropical storm force winds are expected to be widespread across the region. Air traffic in and out of the Atlanta Airport may be halted tonight into Friday as the core of Hurricane Helene approaches from the south. This could be a widespread, major damaging wind event for MUCH of the state of Georgia.

HURRICANE WARNING – BIG BEND REGION OF FLORIDA & S.W. GEORGIA… The core danger zone associated with Hurricane Helene will happen where a Hurricane Warning is in effect – the eastern fringe of the Florida Panhandle, the Big Bend region of Florida, parts of north Florida, and southern Georgia. A Hurricane Warning is in effect for Gulf, Calhoun, Jackson, Liberty, Franklin counties and points east in the Panhandle/Big Bend region of Florida. This includes (but is not limited to) Tallahassee, Apalachicola, Port St. Joe, Blountstown, Marianna, Perry, Cross City, Lake City, Cedar Key, Valdosta (GA), Bainbridge (GA), Thomasville (GA), Albany (GA), Tifton (GA), Moultrie (GA), and surrounding areas. Major impacts will be possible in these zones, including the potential for major hurricane force winds, particularly near areas like Tallahassee. Tornadoes will also be a concern, in addition to the extreme wind impacts in these areas.

MAJOR RAIN EVENT FOR FLORIDA AND GEORGIA; FLASH FLOODING CONCERNS… In addition to the wind and tornado impacts, I am also concerned about the growing potential for flash flooding across parts of Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas in the days ahead. Upwards of 10 inches of total rainfall will be possible in isolated areas with a massive swath of the Deep South picking up 5-7 inches of rainfall in total due to Hurricane Helene. This means that flash flooding will be a major concern, specifically in areas along and east of the center of circulation. A rare High Risk of Excessive Rainfall and Flash Flooding exists for parts of Florida and Georgia today into tonight.

STORM SURGE WARNING – INDIAN PASS TO FLAMINGO, FL… As if the extreme wind, tornado, and flooding concerns weren’t enough, I am also concerned about a dangerous and extreme storm surge being possible in parts of the Big Bend region of Florida. 15-20 ft. of water inundation will be possible in zones near and southeast of St. Marks and Tallahassee! There are also storm surge concerns near Apalachicola and Indian Pass, but perhaps to a lesser degree compared to what will happen east of the center of circulation. If you know anyone in a storm surge prone area in this Storm Surge Warning zone, call them and encourage them vehemently to GET OUT.

SET UP APP ALERTS… We send quite a bit of Low-Level Alerts in our RedZone Weather app. The app is totally free for you! redzoneweather.com/app is the link where you see the download links to your respective app store for iOS and for Android devices. Once you have the app downloaded to your smartphone or tablet device, be sure to visit the Alerts tab to customize the alerts you would like to receive straight from me.

I will have more updates posted throughout the day in the RedZone Weather app. Have a nice Thursday and please stay safe!

Tap below to support this RZW sponsor!