Major Hurricane Helene has weakened to a post-tropical cyclone centered over Kentucky; but all is not quiet at the Miami, Florida-based National Hurricane Center (NHC.) The NHC has classified a new disturbance in the Atlantic as Tropical Storm Joyce while Tropical Storm Isaac strengthened into a hurricane.
While Helene is no longer a hurricane, the NHC says that historic, catastrophic and life-threatening flash and urban flooding, including numerous major landslides, will continue across portions of the southern Appalachians through this evening, followed by gradual improvement tonight and into Saturday. Widespread serious river flooding is ongoing, some of which will be major to record breaking.
Due to rain and wind, there is a possibility of long-duration power outages in portions of the southeast U.S. “If you use a generator, be sure it is placed outside at least 20 feet away from doors, windows, and garages to avoid deadly carbon monoxide poisoning, ” warns the National Hurricane Center. They added, “Use caution after the system passes as deadly hazards remain including downed power lines and flooded areas.”
The death and damage toll from Helene continues to add up. Officials already report more than two dozen people have been killed in the U.S. with preliminary damage estimates in the “billions.”
Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Isaac which formed shortly before Helene made landfall into Florida, is growing in strength. Located about 995 miles west of the Azores, the now-hurricane has maximum sustained winds of 85 mph as it moves east at 16 mph. Isaac is moving toward the east near 16 mph. The NHC says a gradual turn to the east-northeast is expected with a slight decrease in forward speed over the next day or so. On Saturday, a gradual turn to the northeast is forecast and this motion should continue through Monday. Some slight additional strengthening is expected tonight or Saturday morning followed by gradual weakening through early next week; Isaac is expected to be a post-tropical cyclone on Monday. Isaac is expected to stay away from the Azores and any other landmass while it is a hurricane.
While Isaac is moving away from North America, Joyce is moving closer to it -for now. Located about 1,250 miles east of the Northern Leeward Islands, the newly formed tropical storm has maximum sustained winds of 50 mph and a minimum central pressure of 1001 mb or 29.56″. The storm is moving to the northwest at 13 mph.
The National Hurricane Center says a west-northwest to northwest motion is expected for Joyce during the next couple of days, followed by a gradual turn toward the north early next week. Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 50 mph with higher gusts. Some additional strengthening is possible through early Saturday, followed by gradual weakening through early next week. At this time, it appears unlikely that Joyce will threaten any landmass.
The greatest threat to the United States in the weeks ahead may not even be named yet. According to the NHC, an area of low pressure could form over the western Caribbean Sea by the middle of next week. Environmental conditions are expected to be conducive for slow development thereafter while the system moves generally northwestward, potentially entering the Gulf of Mexico by the end of next week. Some computer forecast models have suggested that this system would develop into a tropical storm or hurricane and hit the U.S. Gulf Coast with time.
