ATLANTA – The FOX 5 Storm Team is closely tracking Tropical Depression Nine, which officially formed Saturday afternoon near Cuba and is expected to strengthen as it moves northward. The system could become Hurricane Imelda early next week and potentially impact parts of the Southeast.
Big picture view:
FOX 5 Meteorologist Alex Forbes said confidence is high in the forecast through Tuesday morning, when the system is expected to reach Category 1 hurricane strength off the coast of Jacksonville. After that, uncertainty grows.
“We go from a really high degree of confidence to a really low degree of confidence for Wednesday and Thursday,” Forbes explained.
Tracking possible Hurricane Imelda
What’s next:
Forecast models are split on where the storm may head later in the week. Some suggest it could curve east and stay out to sea, while others bring it inland toward South Carolina or even northern Georgia.
Forbes noted that the FOX Weather model is showing a scenario where the storm — expected to be named Imelda — passes very close to the Georgia coast without making landfall. “That eye wall would be right there from Savannah down towards Brunswick, with showers and storms even up here in northern and central Georgia,” he said.
Imelda could bring rain, flooding to Georgia and South Carolina
Local perspective:
While the system’s exact path remains unclear, the FOX 5 Storm Team says heavy rainfall is a strong possibility in south Georgia, with some reaching metro Atlanta. Both the European and GFS models show several inches of rain for the Carolinas, with some runs hinting at over a foot near the coast.
“The category of this will not matter. I’m watching the flooding most closely along the South Carolina coast and along the Georgia coast as well,” Forbes warned.
The FOX 5 Storm Team emphasizes that much depends on when and where the storm’s center organizes, which will help narrow down its track. For now, Forbes urges residents across Georgia and South Carolina to stay alert.
The Source: Information in this article came from FOX 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Alex Forbes.
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