National Hurricane Center forecasters said a few of the computer models had upgraded tropical depression nine to hurricane strength near the coast so the decision was made to issue a hurricane watch.
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The center said the Georgia and SC coasts should expect 4 to 7 inches of rain after the storm swings northeast from Florida, and amounts could reach 10 inches in some places.
How much damage it does before then will be determined by its level of intensification in midweek.
A hurricane warning was in effect for the area between Suwannee River westward to Mexico Beach, Florida. But this time the news is good for our area as it is expected to remain well to our east and should have no impact here in Southwest Louisiana.
According to a release from Bulloch County Emergency Management Director Ted Wynn Wednesday, GEMA/Homeland Security and the National Weather Service at Charleston held conference calls late Wednesday afternoon to discuss possible impacts and actions.
As of Wednesday, forecast show anywhere between 1 to 5 inches of rain is possible.
The WTXL ABC 27 Storm Team is on duty throughout the course of this tropical weather situation. “The east side is the side that carries all the precipitation”.
The storm, stalled over very warm water and encountering little resistance from wind shear, is expected to intensify over the next day as it makes a turn toward the Florida coast and picks up speed Thursday.
But Ulrich said Lake should be spared the worst.
The depression is moving toward the north near 2 miles per hour.
The rain while continue throughout the week and into the weekend, but as the system passes Fleming said normal weather patterns will return.
The system that we are watching is in the Gulf of Mexico. Does your area tend to flood?
Indeed, the center’s update shifted the track farther to the west, keeping the storm over land as it heads northeast – but that path is not set in stone, said Faye Barthold, also a weather service meteorologist in Upton.
With any tropical system, the wind is a main hazard. Relatively dry air in the central Gulf was another inhibitor. Coastal areas of Georgia and the Carolinas are expected to receive storm total rainfall of up to 18 mm, with local amounts of 250 mm possible through Saturday morning.
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“Additional strengthening is forecast during the next 36 hours, and Hermine could be near hurricane strength by the time landfall occurs”, the NWS said.
