Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane in the Florida Big Bend region at about 11:10 p.m., the National Hurricane Center announced.
The storm’s maximum sustained winds were estimated to be 140 mph and is moving north-northeast at 24 mph.
READ MORE: Hurricane Helene: Western NC prepares for storm 3 years after major flooding
Helene is expected to bring damaging winds, heavy rain, and flash floods across much of the Southeast.
In the Carolinas, Severe Weather Center 9 predicts we’ll see the worst of the storm Thursday night into Friday morning.
The Carolinas
On Wednesday, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper declared a State of Emergency ahead of Hurricane Helene. Later that day, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster also declared a State of Emergency for the Palmetto State.
Steady rain began Thursday in the Charlotte area and will likely last most of the day. This could already add up to a few inches in spots, causing some flooding.
“Helene threatens heavy rain, flash flooding, landslides, and damaging winds to the mountains and Piedmont areas of our state,” Gov. Cooper said in a statement. “Now is the time for North Carolinians to prepare, make sure emergency kits are up-to-date and pay attention to the weather alerts in your area.”
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Tropical Storm Helene forms; expected to become major hurricane
After that, we get the big rain from Helene overnight Thursday into early Friday. Areas far west in the mountains could see rain totals adding up to 10 inches or more, which would lead to significant flooding.
We won’t see nearly as much in the Charlotte metro, only around 5 to 7 inches. Right now, Flood Watches are confined to our western counties.
VIDEO: Caldwell County flood concerns
Along with the big rain, we will have to deal with strong winds of over 30 to 40 mph, with gusts of 50 to 60 mph, as the storm passes by our region just to the west. This could bring down trees and power lines on Friday.
There will also be a low tornado threat to watch out for. With each wave of rain, there’s a potential for quick spin-up tornadoes through the evening hours Thursday.
Then, there may be a deceiving break in the action late in the evening after 11 p.m. That’s when Helene will roar in with tropical storm force winds and additional rainfall and potential tornadoes.
The worst weather will be from 1 a.m. to 9 a.m. Friday.
This all clears out by Friday afternoon. We’ll have a few more rain chances this weekend but nothing major.
‘If folks can stay at home, stay at home’
In the College Downs area of Rock Hill, the city invested more than $2 million trying to prevent flooding in the low-lying area. Workers lowered some of the land, turning it into greenspace so that flood waters have a place to go.
Despite the work, some say areas in the county like that one could see some flooding Friday morning. The storm is expected to bring 2 to 4 inches of rain in the area.
York County’s emergency management director said Thursday that people should prepare for the possibility of downed trees, power outages, and flash flooding.
“If folks can stay at home, stay at home,” Chuck Haynes said. “Tomorrow would be a great day to not go out. Stay off the roadways.”
Haynes says anyone who is in a life-threatening situation Friday should call 911. But if you see downed trees blocking roads or other non-emergency situations, you can call the county for help at 803-326-2300.
This is a developing story; check wsoctv.com for updates.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
VIDEO: Tropical Storm Helene forms; expected to become major hurricane
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