The National Hurricane Center on Monday continued to track a tropical disturbance near the coast of the Carolinas that could become a named storm.
Tropical storm warnings were in effect for South and North Carolina, and the hurricane center said gusty winds, surge and heavy rain were spreading along the coast. The disturbance is expected to move inland this afternoon.
The system is not organized enough yet to get a name (which would be Helene) and is being called Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight as of Monday morning.
Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight, located near the Carolinas on Monday, is expected to move inland later today.NHC
It is not expected to affect Alabama.
The hurricane center also continued to watch Tropical Depression Gordon in the central Atlantic. Gordon was briefly a tropical storm last week and is no threat to land.
Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight was bringing gusty winds, heavy rain and the threat of coastal flooding to the Carolinas on Monday. A tropical storm warning is in effect from Edisto Beach, S.C., a northward to Ocracoke Inlet, N.C.
As of 7 a.m. CDT Monday, Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight was located about 100 miles east of Charleston, S.C., and was tracking to the northwest slowly at 3 mph.
The disturbance had top winds of 50 mph, which is enough to be considered a tropical storm (tropical storm winds begin at 39 mph). However, the disturbance was not organized enough to get that title yet. The hurricane center said little change in strength is expected before it reaches the coast.
There’s a chance it could become a tropical or subtropical storm before it moves onshore later this afternoon or evening. If it does it will get the name Helene.
The disturbance could bring 1 to 3 feet of storm surge to the South and North Carolina coasts, according to the hurricane center.
It could also bring a lot of heavy rain. Four to 8 inches of rain, with isolated amounts up to 10 inches, will be possible in parts of South and North Carolina over the next few days. Parts of Virginia could also get several inches of rain after the disturbance moves inland.
A few tornadoes will also be possible in those areas today, forecasters said.
ELSEWHERE IN THE TROPICS
Tropical Depression Gordon is no threat to land.NHC
The hurricane center was also keeping and eye on Tropical Depression Gordon in the central Atlantic. Gordon was no threat to land.
Gordon has the distinction of being the only named storm in the Atlantic Basin this year to not make landfall.
The United States has been hit by three hurricanes so far this season. Those were Beryl (Texas), Debby (Florida) and Francine (Louisiana).
In addition there were tropical storms Alberto and Chris (both hit Mexico) and Hurricane Ernesto (made landfall on Bermuda).
There were no other potential systems being watched by the hurricane center as of Monday.
The Atlantic hurricane season is in the midst of what is typically its busiest stretch. The season will come to an end on Nov. 30.
