Hurricane Helene is impacting the Tri-State today. We have a whole list of issues so below I'm breaking them down by category:
- Rain timing and intensity
- High winds and damage potential
- Heavy rain and flooding
RAIN
Showers have already spread across the Tri-State. The rain will be light but steady throughout much of the morning drive. This guarantees wet roads and possible slow downs on your way into work today. The intensity of rain should start to pick up in hit or miss locations between 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. But it's around midday and up through 5 p.m. that we should see the heaviest bands of rain passing through the Tri-State. It still looks like the rain shield should break in for this evening, giving us drier conditions for Friday night football games, but those fields will be soaking wet. We shouldn't hear much thunder today.
HIGH WINDS
A rare HIGH WIND WARNING has been issued for the Tri-State from Noon to 10 p.m. This means that widespread damage is expected along with power outages due to high winds. Winds will be coming in from the northeast at 25-40 mph, gusting to 60 mph. The weather models really focus the highest winds of the day from noon to 5 p.m. In the advisory is it suggested to remain in the lower levels of your home during the windstorm and avoid windows. Watch for falling debris and tree limbs. Use caution if you must drive.
FLOODING
The heaviest rain of today's forecast will be focused on the late morning and afternoon hours up through 6 p.m. It's possible that we could see some flooding develop, but that shouldn't be a possibility until the afternoon hours. Creeks and streams will rise and we'll have to watch the river levels too. 2 to 4 inches of rain is possible for our area with locally higher amounts of up to 5" possible in some isolated locations. The heaviest should be to the southwest, tapering off to the lower end of the rainfall scale to the northeast.
MORNING RUSH
Widespread rain
Breezy
Low: 68
FRIDAY
Rain likely, heavy in the afternoon
High winds, some damage
High: 71
FRIDAY NIGHT
Spotty showers
Winds start to slow down
Low: 64
SATURDAY
Overcast
Continued showers, lighter
High: 70
SATURDAY NIGHT
Spotty showers
Cloudy
Low: 62
SUNDAY
Mostly cloudy
Spotty showers
High: 71
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