Yet another tropical storm, Helene, is barreling toward Florida, and Michigan relatives and residents may feel the impact.
It’s no secret that a number of Michiganders have close ties to Florida; Michigan saw its highest migration to and from the Sunshine State in 2022 U.S. Census Bureau data. Florida also historically has had among the highest number of rental properties in the country.
But loved ones and frequent flyers in the Mitten State may also see cloudy skies – though not the same risk - from the storm expected to make landfall as a hurricane.
Here’s what to know.
The storm was about 180 miles east-southeast of Cozumel, Mexico, and about 170 miles south-southeast of the western tip of Cuba as of an 11 a.m. Tuesday advisory from the National Hurricane Center ,
Helene is expected to become a hurricane on Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center. It’s believed the storm may then continue to strengthen and could become a major hurricane on Thursday.
A northern motion is expected at a faster speed on Wednesday and Thursday, moving across the eastern Gulf of Mexico those days and potentially reaching Florida’s Gulf Coast late Thursday, according to the advisory.
The southern tip of Florida may see the storm earlier, but the actual center of the storm is likely to make landfall closer to Thursday, said Megan Varcie, a National Weather Service meteorologist in White Lake.
“All of Florida is going to see heavy rain, probably strong winds, but with the track of the actual center of the hurricane most likely to be over the Gulf of Mexico, it would mean that area that will see the most storm surge and the strongest winds and all of those impacts of the hurricane is going to be more on the west side of the state towards the Gulf and the Panhandle,” she said.
Pretty much all of the west coast of Florida has either a hurricane watch or a tropical storm watch, she said Tuesday.
Live weather updates: Hurricane watch for Florida Gulf Coast
How bad will Helene be?
Tropical storm conditions are expected in the lower Florida Keys starting Wednesday, with the middle Florida Keys possibly seeing the same conditions starting late Wednesday, according to the hurricane center.
Hurricane conditions are possible in the U.S. Wednesday night and early Thursday.
Likely flash and urban flooding, along with some river flooding, are expected with rainfall over the Southeastern U.S., according to the hurricane center.
Swells on the west coast of Florida and the northeastern Gulf Coast will likely cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
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Will other states feel the impact of Helene?
The storm surge is expected to stay mostly confined to the shoreline areas in Florida, but rainfall could cause flooding further into the country, Varcie said.
“Alabama, Georgia, even up to Tennessee, those areas could see 4 to 8 inches of rainfall … that does look to kind of drop off even further north into the Ohio Valley, but there certainly is a heavy rainfall potential and even into the Atlanta area we're seeing some moderate risk of flash flooding.”
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Will Helene bring rain to Michigan?
It’s likely. Though it’s not guaranteed, and it was early in the week to say Tuesday, Varcie said the moisture from the storm could bring rainfall to Mitten this coming weekend. And it may be more of a question of how long the rain sticks around.
Based on the current information, some thunderstorms could come this way, too.
Other pressure systems could change projections before the weekend, however, either pushing or pulling the storm.
How can I learn more about Tropical Storm Helene and the expected hurricane?
The National Hurricane Center has information on the storm and urges monitoring of local National Weather Service forecast offices.
USA Today also has live updates on the storm.
And for those Michiganders with direct ties down south, Varcie offered some caution: “If you do have family or friends (down there) or you were planning to travel that way or have property or whatever it may be, just listen to officials as we get closer to the hurricane actually making landfall … that safety information can save your life.”
USA Today contributed to this story.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tropical Storm Helene forms as Florida braces for hurricane: How it could impact Michigan
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