686
WTUS82 KCAE 261515
HLSCAE
GAZ040-063>065-077-SCZ016-018-020>022-025>031-035-037-038-041-115-116-135>137-262315-
HURRICANE HELENE LOCAL STATEMENT ADVISORY NUMBER 13
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC AL092024
1115 AM EDT THU SEP 26 2024
THIS PRODUCT COVERS THE MIDLANDS OF CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA AND EAST CENTRAL GEORGIA CSRA
**STRONG WINDS, TORNADOES, AND PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN ARE EXPECTED
FROM HURRICANE HELENE LATE TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY**
NEW INFORMATION
---------------
* CHANGES TO WATCHES AND WARNINGS:
- NONE
* CURRENT WATCHES AND WARNINGS:
- A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR AIKEN, BAMBERG,
BARNWELL, BURKE, CALHOUN, CENTRAL ORANGEBURG, CHESTERFIELD,
CLARENDON, COLUMBIA, EDGEFIELD, FAIRFIELD, KERSHAW, LEE,
LEXINGTON, LINCOLN, MCCORMICK, MCDUFFIE, NEWBERRY, NORTHERN
LANCASTER, NORTHWESTERN ORANGEBURG, RICHLAND, RICHMOND, SALUDA,
SOUTHEASTERN ORANGEBURG, SOUTHERN LANCASTER, AND SUMTER
* STORM INFORMATION:
- ABOUT 640 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF COLUMBIA SC OR ABOUT 590
MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF AUGUSTA GA
- 25.5N 85.5W
- STORM INTENSITY 105 MPH
- MOVEMENT NORTH-NORTHEAST OR 25 DEGREES AT 14 MPH
SITUATION OVERVIEW
------------------
HURRICANE HELENE CONTINUES TO BECOME BETTER ORGANIZED AND IS
EXPECTED TO STRENGTHEN INTO A MAJOR HURRICANE AS IT MOVES NORTHWARD
ACROSS THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO TODAY. THE HURRICANE IS EXPECTED
TO REACH THE FLORIDA BIG BEND COAST THIS EVENING. THEN, HELENE WILL
TRACK NORTHWARD ACROSS GEORGIA TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING. HELENE
IS FORECAST TO BECOME A VERY LARGE STORM WITH IMPACTS EXTENDING WELL
EAST OF THE CENTER OF THE STORM. HELENE'S FAST FORWARD SPEED WILL
ALLOW STRONG, DAMAGING WINDS, ESPECIALLY IN GUSTS, TO PENETRATE WELL
INLAND ACROSS THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES.
RAINFALL AMOUNTS ACROSS CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA AND EAST CENTRAL
GEORGIA ARE EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM 3 TO 5 INCHES IN THE CSRA TO 2 TO
4 INCHES IN THE MIDLANDS AND PEE DEE. ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS ARE
POSSIBLE. RAINFALL RATES WILL INCREASE THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON, WITH
THE HEAVIEST RAIN BANDS EXPECTED TO MOVE IN LATER TONIGHT INTO EARLY
FRIDAY MORNING. FLASH FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE DUE TO THE HEAVY
RAINFALL.
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE POSSIBLE TONIGHT INTO EARLY FRIDAY
MORNING OVER CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA AND THE CSRA OF GEORGIA. TORNADOES
WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE WITH HIGHEST CONFIDENCE ALONG AND SOUTH OF
I-20 THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING.
POTENTIAL IMPACTS
-----------------
* WIND:
PROTECT AGAINST HAZARDOUS WIND HAVING POSSIBLE LIMITED IMPACTS ACROSS
THE MIDLANDS OF CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA AND EAST CENTRAL GEORGIA CSRA.
POTENTIAL IMPACTS INCLUDE:
- DAMAGE TO PORCHES, AWNINGS, CARPORTS, SHEDS, AND UNANCHORED
MOBILE HOMES. UNSECURED LIGHTWEIGHT OBJECTS BLOWN ABOUT.
- MANY LARGE TREE LIMBS BROKEN OFF. A FEW TREES SNAPPED OR
UPROOTED, BUT WITH GREATER NUMBERS IN PLACES WHERE TREES ARE
SHALLOW ROOTED. SOME FENCES AND ROADWAY SIGNS BLOWN OVER.
- A FEW ROADS IMPASSABLE FROM DEBRIS, PARTICULARLY WITHIN URBAN
OR HEAVILY WOODED PLACES. HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS ON
BRIDGES AND OTHER ELEVATED ROADWAYS.
- SCATTERED POWER AND COMMUNICATIONS OUTAGES.
* TORNADOES:
PROTECT AGAINST A DANGEROUS TORNADO EVENT HAVING POSSIBLE SIGNIFICANT
IMPACTS ACROSS THE REGION, ESPECIALLY SOUTH AND EAST OF I-20.
POTENTIAL IMPACTS INCLUDE:
- THE OCCURRENCE OF NUMEROUS TORNADOES CAN GREATLY HINDER THE
EXECUTION OF EMERGENCY PLANS DURING TROPICAL EVENTS.
- MANY PLACES MAY EXPERIENCE TORNADO DAMAGE WITH A FEW SPOTS OF
IMMENSE DESTRUCTION, POWER LOSS, AND COMMUNICATIONS FAILURES.
- LOCATIONS COULD REALIZE ROOF AND WALL FAILURES OF STURDY
BUILDINGS WITH SOME BEING LEVELED, STRUCTURES UPON WEAK
FOUNDATIONS BLOWN AWAY, MOBILE HOMES OBLITERATED, LARGE TREES
TWISTED AND SNAPPED WITH FORESTED TREES UPROOTED, VEHICLES
LIFTED OFF THE GROUND AND THROWN, AND SMALL BOATS DESTROYED.
LARGE AND DEADLY PROJECTILES CAN ADD TO THE TOLL.
* FLOODING RAIN:
PROTECT AGAINST LIFE-THREATENING RAINFALL FLOODING HAVING POSSIBLE
EXTENSIVE IMPACTS ACROSS THE CSRA AND SOUTH/CENTRAL MIDLANDS.
POTENTIAL IMPACTS INCLUDE:
- MAJOR RAINFALL FLOODING MAY PROMPT MANY EVACUATIONS AND RESCUES.
- RIVERS AND TRIBUTARIES MAY RAPIDLY OVERFLOW THEIR BANKS IN
MULTIPLE PLACES. SMALL STREAMS, CREEKS, CANALS, ARROYOS, AND
DITCHES MAY BECOME DANGEROUS RIVERS. IN MOUNTAIN AREAS,
DESTRUCTIVE RUNOFF MAY RUN QUICKLY DOWN VALLEYS WHILE
INCREASING SUSCEPTIBILITY TO ROCKSLIDES AND MUDSLIDES. FLOOD
CONTROL SYSTEMS AND BARRIERS MAY BECOME STRESSED.
- FLOOD WATERS CAN ENTER MANY STRUCTURES WITHIN MULTIPLE
COMMUNITIES, SOME STRUCTURES BECOMING UNINHABITABLE OR WASHED
AWAY. MANY PLACES WHERE FLOOD WATERS MAY COVER ESCAPE ROUTES.
STREETS AND PARKING LOTS BECOME RIVERS OF MOVING WATER WITH
UNDERPASSES SUBMERGED. DRIVING CONDITIONS BECOME DANGEROUS.
MANY ROAD AND BRIDGE CLOSURES WITH SOME WEAKENED OR WASHED OUT.
PREPARE FOR RAINFALL FLOODING HAVING POSSIBLE MINOR/MODERATE IMPACTS
ACROSS THE NORTH MIDLANDS AND PEE DEE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS
----------------------------------
* OTHER PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION:
NOW IS THE TIME TO COMPLETE ALL PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND
PROPERTY IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN. ENSURE YOU ARE IN A
SAFE LOCATION BEFORE THE ONSET OF STRONG WINDS OR POSSIBLE FLOODING
KEEP CELL PHONES WELL CHARGED. CELL PHONE CHARGERS FOR AUTOMOBILES
CAN BE HELPFUL, BUT BE AWARE OF YOUR RISK FOR DEADLY CARBON MONOXIDE
POISONING IF YOUR CAR IS LEFT IDLING IN A GARAGE OR OTHER POORLY
VENTILATED AREA.
RAPIDLY RISING FLOOD WATERS ARE DEADLY. IF YOU ARE IN A FLOOD-PRONE
AREA, CONSIDER MOVING TO HIGHER GROUND. NEVER DRIVE THROUGH A FLOODED
ROADWAY. REMEMBER, TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN!
IF A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA, BE READY TO SHELTER
QUICKLY, PREFERABLY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND IN AN INTERIOR ROOM NOT
PRONE TO FLOODING. IF DRIVING, SCAN THE ROADSIDE FOR QUICK SHELTER
OPTIONS.
IF IN A PLACE THAT IS VULNERABLE TO HIGH WIND, SUCH AS NEAR LARGE
TREES, A MANUFACTURED HOME, UPPER FLOORS OF A HIGH-RISE BUILDING, OR
ON A BOAT, CONSIDER MOVING TO A SAFER SHELTER BEFORE THE ONSET OF
STRONG WINDS OR FLOODING.
CLOSELY MONITOR WEATHER.GOV, NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL NEWS OUTLETS
FOR OFFICIAL STORM INFORMATION. BE READY TO ADAPT TO POSSIBLE CHANGES
TO THE FORECAST. ENSURE YOU HAVE MULTIPLE WAYS TO RECEIVE WEATHER
WARNINGS.
* ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION:
- FOR INFORMATION ON APPROPRIATE PREPARATIONS SEE READY.GOV
- FOR INFORMATION FROM THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA SEE SCEMD.ORG
- FOR INFORMATION FROM THE STATE OF GEORGIA SEE GEMA.GA.GOV
NEXT UPDATE
-----------
THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE IN COLUMBIA SC AROUND 6 PM EDT, OR SOONER IF CONDITIONS
WARRANT.
CLICK HERE TO GO TO PREVIOUS BULLETINS.
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