Will Tropical Storm Helene hit SC? What to expect in the Myrtle Beach area

Tropical Storm Helene is brewing in the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to make landfall in the United States.

The storm could develop into a hurricane Thursday morning, according to warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service’s Wilmington office Steven Pfaff.

“Unfortunately, it looks like the ocean temperatures, as well as the atmosphere, are going to be highly supportive of Helene …becoming a major hurricane, so it could be a category three or higher before it makes landfall somewhere on the Florida Panhandle,” Pfaff said.

Current forecasts predict that the center of the storm’s path will move north across Georgia and the western edge of South Carolina. While the Grand Strand can expect wind and rain, experts forecast Helene won’t hit the area directly.

“We think it’s going to be a low impact event for Myrtle Beach and surrounding areas, unless the track changes east of what’s currently shown,” Pfaff said.

The Myrtle Beach area can expect 2 to 4 inches of rain and wind gusts exceeding 25 mph late Thursday into Friday, according to the NWS. There’s also a chance of isolated tornadoes and minor coastal flooding that could enhance flooding in the area caused by the higher-than-usual astronomical tides.

“We’re fortunate,” Pfaff said. “We’re not going to be bearing any direct effects from this, but unfortunately, our neighbors in the western part of the state could have a rough go with this one.”

Pfaff advises residents and visitors in the Grand Strand to stay informed about changes in the storm and exercise caution if they plan to travel west or south, areas where Tropical Storm Helene will likely hit harder.