Helene was upgraded to a hurricane after rapidly strengthening in the Caribbean Wednesday. Forecasters warned that the storm would intensify as it crosses the Gulf of Mexico on a path to Florida.
Over a foot-and-a-half of rain fell in a matter of hours in Carolina Beach, NC, overwhelming streets, cars, and houses as much of downtown sunk below multiple feet of water.
A disturbance off the South Carolina coast will likely lack tropical characteristics before moving inland. But, regardless of becoming a named storm it will bring heavy rain and gusty wind to the region beginning Monday afternoon.