A Tropical Storm Watch means tropical storm-force winds are possible somewhere within this area within the next 48 hours * LOCATIONS AFFECTED - Summerville - Ridgeville - Saint George * WIND - LATEST LOCAL FORECAST: Below tropical storm force wind - Peak Wind Forecast: 10-20 mph with gusts to 30 mph - THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY THAT INCLUDES TYPICAL FORECAST UNCERTAINTY IN TRACK, SIZE AND INTENSITY: Wind less than 39 mph - The wind threat has remained nearly steady from the previous assessment. - PLAN: The sustained wind should remain less than tropical storm force. Conditions may still be gusty. - PREPARE: Little to no preparations needed to guard against tropical winds at this time. - ACT: Ensure emergency readiness should the forecast change. - POTENTIAL IMPACTS: Little to None - Little to no potential impacts from wind. * FLOODING RAIN - LATEST LOCAL FORECAST: - Peak Rainfall Amounts: Additional 1-3 inches, with locally higher amounts - THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY THAT INCLUDES TYPICAL FORECAST UNCERTAINTY IN TRACK, SIZE AND INTENSITY: Potential for moderate flooding rain - The flooding rain threat has remained nearly steady from the previous assessment. - PLAN: Emergency plans should include the potential for moderate flooding from heavy rain. Evacuations and rescues are possible. - PREPARE: Consider protective actions if you are in an area vulnerable to flooding. - ACT: Heed any flood watches and warnings. Failure to take action may result in serious injury or loss of life. - POTENTIAL IMPACTS: Significant - Moderate rainfall flooding could prompt some rescues. - Rivers and tributaries could quickly become swollen with swifter currents and overspill their banks in a few places, especially in normally vulnerable spots. Small streams, creeks, canals, and ditches overflow. - Flood waters can enter some structures or weaken foundations. Several places could experience expanded areas of rapid inundation at underpasses, low-lying spots, and poor drainage areas. Some streets and parking lots take on moving water as storm drains and retention ponds overflow. Driving conditions become hazardous. Some road and bridge closures. * TORNADO - LATEST LOCAL FORECAST: - Situation is favorable for tornadoes - THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY THAT INCLUDES TYPICAL FORECAST UNCERTAINTY IN TRACK, SIZE AND INTENSITY: Potential for several tornadoes - The tornado threat has increased from the previous assessment. - PLAN: Emergency plans should include the potential for several tornadoes with a few possibly intense having larger damage paths. - PREPARE: Those living in manufactured homes or on boats should prepare to relocate to safe shelter before hazardous weather arrives. - ACT: Listen for tornado watches and warnings. If a tornado warning is issued, be ready to shelter quickly. - POTENTIAL IMPACTS: Significant - Isolated to scattered tornadoes can hinder the execution of emergency plans. - Scattered locations could experience enhanced damage due to tornadoes with a few spots of considerable damage, power loss, and communications failures. - Scattered locations could realize roofs torn off frame houses, mobile homes demolished, boxcars overturned, large trees snapped or uprooted, vehicles tumbled, and small boats tossed about. * FOR MORE INFORMATION: - https://weather.gov/chs - https://ready.gov/hurricanes

A Tropical Storm Watch means tropical storm-force winds are possible somewhere within this area within the next 48 hours * LOCATIONS AFFECTED - Goose Creek - Moncks Corner - Saint Stephen * WIND - LATEST LOCAL FORECAST: Below tropical storm force wind - Peak Wind Forecast: 10-20 mph with gusts to 30 mph - THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY THAT INCLUDES TYPICAL FORECAST UNCERTAINTY IN TRACK, SIZE AND INTENSITY: Wind less than 39 mph - The wind threat has remained nearly steady from the previous assessment. - PLAN: The sustained wind should remain less than tropical storm force. Conditions may still be gusty. - PREPARE: Little to no preparations needed to guard against tropical winds at this time. - ACT: Ensure emergency readiness should the forecast change. - POTENTIAL IMPACTS: Little to None - Little to no potential impacts from wind. * FLOODING RAIN - LATEST LOCAL FORECAST: - Peak Rainfall Amounts: Additional 1-3 inches, with locally higher amounts - THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY THAT INCLUDES TYPICAL FORECAST UNCERTAINTY IN TRACK, SIZE AND INTENSITY: Potential for moderate flooding rain - The flooding rain threat has remained nearly steady from the previous assessment. - PLAN: Emergency plans should include the potential for moderate flooding from heavy rain. Evacuations and rescues are possible. - PREPARE: Consider protective actions if you are in an area vulnerable to flooding. - ACT: Heed any flood watches and warnings. Failure to take action may result in serious injury or loss of life. - POTENTIAL IMPACTS: Significant - Moderate rainfall flooding could prompt some rescues. - Rivers and tributaries could quickly become swollen with swifter currents and overspill their banks in a few places, especially in normally vulnerable spots. Small streams, creeks, canals, and ditches overflow. - Flood waters can enter some structures or weaken foundations. Several places could experience expanded areas of rapid inundation at underpasses, low-lying spots, and poor drainage areas. Some streets and parking lots take on moving water as storm drains and retention ponds overflow. Driving conditions become hazardous. Some road and bridge closures. * TORNADO - LATEST LOCAL FORECAST: - Situation is favorable for tornadoes - THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY THAT INCLUDES TYPICAL FORECAST UNCERTAINTY IN TRACK, SIZE AND INTENSITY: Potential for several tornadoes - The tornado threat has increased from the previous assessment. - PLAN: Emergency plans should include the potential for several tornadoes with a few possibly intense having larger damage paths. - PREPARE: Those living in manufactured homes or on boats should prepare to relocate to safe shelter before hazardous weather arrives. - ACT: Listen for tornado watches and warnings. If a tornado warning is issued, be ready to shelter quickly. - POTENTIAL IMPACTS: Significant - Isolated to scattered tornadoes can hinder the execution of emergency plans. - Scattered locations could experience enhanced damage due to tornadoes with a few spots of considerable damage, power loss, and communications failures. - Scattered locations could realize roofs torn off frame houses, mobile homes demolished, boxcars overturned, large trees snapped or uprooted, vehicles tumbled, and small boats tossed about. * FOR MORE INFORMATION: - https://weather.gov/chs - https://ready.gov/hurricanes

HLSCHS This product covers southeast South Carolina and southeast Georgia **MULTIPLE IMPACTS ANTICIPATED WITH THE PASSAGE OF HELENE THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY** NEW INFORMATION --------------- * CHANGES TO WATCHES AND WARNINGS: - A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for Allendale, Beaufort, Charleston, Coastal Colleton, Coastal Jasper, Dorchester, Hampton, Inland Berkeley, Inland Colleton, Inland Jasper, and Tidal Berkeley * CURRENT WATCHES AND WARNINGS: - A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Allendale, Beaufort, Bulloch, Candler, Charleston, Coastal Bryan, Coastal Chatham, Coastal Colleton, Coastal Jasper, Coastal Liberty, Coastal McIntosh, Dorchester, Effingham, Evans, Hampton, Inland Berkeley, Inland Bryan, Inland Chatham, Inland Colleton, Inland Jasper, Inland Liberty, Inland McIntosh, Jenkins, Long, Screven, Tattnall, and Tidal Berkeley * STORM INFORMATION: - About 840 miles south-southwest of Savannah GA - 20.7N 86.2W - Storm Intensity 65 mph - Movement Northwest or 325 degrees at 9 mph SITUATION OVERVIEW ------------------ Tropical Storm Helene is expected to strengthen into a major hurricane as it moves northward across the eastern Gulf of Mexico by Thursday. The storm is forecast to make landfall around the Big Bend area of Florida Thursday evening, tracking northward across Georgia Thursday night into early Friday. Helene is forecast to become a very large storm, with impacts expected to extend well east of the center of the storm. Rainfall amounts across southeast Georgia are forecast to range between 3 to 5 inches and 1.5 to 4 inches across southeast South Carolina. Isolated higher amounts are possible, especially west of the Interstate 95 corridor. Rainfall rates will increase through Thursday, with the heaviest rain band sweeping across the region Thursday night into early Friday morning. Tropical storm force winds are forecast to increase across southeast Georgia and the adjacent Atlantic Georgia waters Thursday evening, then spreading into southeast South Carolina and the adjacent coastal waters Thursday night. Winds speeds are expected to peak late Thursday night as the center of Helene moves across central Georgia. In addition, rain bands are expected to rapidly lift north across southeast Georgia and the South Carolina Lowcountry Thursday night. These rain bands should produce periods of gusty winds and possibly spawning some tornadoes. Storm surge inundation of 1 to 3 ft is possible along the coast of southeast Georgia and the South Carolina Lowcountry. POTENTIAL IMPACTS ----------------- * WIND: Prepare for hazardous wind having possible limited impacts across southeast South Carolina and southeast Georgia. Potential impacts include: - Damage to porches, awnings, carports, sheds, and unanchored mobile homes. Unsecured lightweight objects blown about. - Large tree limbs broken off. A few trees snapped or uprooted, but with greater numbers in places where trees are shallow rooted. - Some roads impassable due to debris, particularly within urban or heavily wooded locations. Hazardous driving conditions on bridges and other elevated roadways, especially for high profile vehicles. - Isolated to scattered power and communications outages. * TORNADOES: Prepare for a particularly dangerous tornado event having possible extensive impacts across southeast Georgia and southeast South Carolina. Potential impacts include: - Numerous tornadoes can greatly hinder the execution of emergency plans. - Tornadoes could produce pockets of extensive destruction, power loss, and communications failures. In some locations, tornado winds and deadly projectiles demolish sturdy buildings, sweep away structures upon weak foundations, obliterate mobile homes, snap off and uproot large trees, lift vehicles off the ground and throw with distance, and destroy small boats destroyed. Prepare for a dangerous tornado event having possible significant impacts across coastal Georgia. * SURGE: Prepare for locally hazardous surge having possible limited impacts across southeast South Carolina and southeast Georgia. Potential impacts in this area include: - Localized inundation of saltwater mainly along immediate shorelines and in low-lying spots farther inland near rivers and creeks. - Sections of near-shore roads and parking lots become overspread with surge water. Driving conditions hazardous in places where surge water covers the road. - Minor to moderate beach erosion. Heavy surf possibly breaching dunes, mainly in normally vulnerable locations. Strong rip currents. - Minor to locally moderate damage to marinas, docks, boardwalks, and piers. A few small craft broken away from moorings. Elsewhere across southeast South Carolina and southeast Georgia, little to no impact is anticipated. * FLOODING RAIN: Prepare for dangerous rainfall flooding having possible significant impacts across southeast South Carolina and southeast Georgia. Potential impacts include: - Moderate rainfall flooding could prompt some rescues. - Rivers and tributaries could quickly become swollen with swifter currents and overspill their banks in a few places, especially in normally vulnerable spots. Small streams, creeks, canals, and ditches overflow. - Flood waters can enter some structures or weaken foundations. Several places could experience expanded areas of rapid inundation at underpasses, low-lying spots, and poor drainage areas. Some streets and parking lots take on moving water as storm drains and retention ponds overflow. Driving conditions become hazardous. Some road and bridge closures. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS ---------------------------------- * EVACUATIONS: Follow the advice of local officials. * OTHER PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION: Now is the time to check your emergency plan and emergency supplies kit and take necessary actions to protect your family and secure your home or business. When making safety and preparedness decisions, do not focus on the exact forecast track since hazards such as flooding rain, damaging wind gusts, storm surge, and tornadoes extend well away from the center of the storm. * ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION: - For information on appropriate preparations see ready.gov - For information on creating an emergency plan see getagameplan.org - For additional disaster preparedness information see redcross.org NEXT UPDATE ----------- The next local statement will be issued by the National Weather Service in Charleston SC around 11 AM EDT, or sooner if conditions warrant.