Near-hurricane-strength storm to reach Charlotte area, Hurricane Center maps show

Tropical Storm Helene is expected to strengthen into a hurricane before arriving in the Charlotte area this week, National Hurricane Center officials said Tuesday night. But it’s unclear how intense it will be when it arrives here.

The storm could spawn tornadoes and knock out power, according to an alert by the NWS office in Greer, South Carolina.

Helene should arrive in the western Carolinas and northeast Georgia Thursday night and Friday, “bringing gusty winds and heavy rainfall to the area,” according to an alert by the NWS office in Greer, South Carolina.

Helene’s predicted path shifted west of Charlotte overnight to the extreme western Carolinas’ mountains, Tennessee, Kentucky and, eventually, Indiana and a sliver of Ohio, according to National Hurricane Center maps of the storm at 5 p.m. Tuesday. The Charlotte region should still expect rains and winds from the storm, NWS forecasters said in an alert.

At 6 p.m. Tuesday, “confidence continues to increase with regard to the potential impacts of Helene,” the NWS office in Greer, South Carolina, said on X, the former Twitter.

“The flood threat will become significant Thursday night into Friday,” according to the NWS. “This has the potential to be an extremely rare event.”

Showers are forecast to arrive in Charlotte late Thursday and continue until 11 a.m. Friday, with bouts of heavy rain throughout the night and morning, according to the NWS Charlotte forecast at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Helene is expected to become a major hurricane near the northeastern Gulf Coast on Thursday, bringing life-threatening storm surge and hurricane-force winds to the Florida Panhandle and Florida west coasts, National Hurricane Center officials said in a 5 p.m. update Tuesday.

“Residents should ensure they have their hurricane plan in place,” center officials said, referring to Floridians.

At 5 p.m. Tuesday, Helene’s winds strengthened to 55 mph, with higher gusts, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Helene is expected to become a hurricane on Wednesday and strengthen over the eastern Gulf of Mexico into a major hurricane on Thursday, center officials said.

Storm surge watches were in effect Tuesday night for parts of the Florida Gulf Coast, according to the National Hurricane Center.

At 5 p.m. Tuesday, Helene was about 155 miles southeast of Cozumel, Mexico.

This is a developing story that will be updated.