EVANSVILLE – The Evansville area may see damaging wind gusts as the effects and remnants of now Tropical Storm Helene continue to sweep through the area.
In its latest update Friday morning, the National Weather Service forecast gusts of 75 mph in Evansville. However, because the storm is moving slightly faster than previously expected, there is a small chance that it could reach speeds of up to 60 miles per hour during the day on Friday.
Helene also covers the area with rain. This is what forecasters say.
How bad could the winds get in the Evansville area?
In an email to the media, NWS meteorologist Justin Gibbs said the winds will likely peak this afternoon. He predicted storms of 45 to 55 km per hour. However, the latest NWS package said conditions could “evolve” — or devolve, depending on how you look at it — to allow winds of up to 60 mph in certain parts of the Tri-State, including Evansville.
The strongest winds are likely to blow between 10am and 6pm
“As the ground slowly becomes saturated with rain, there is a risk of some trees being uprooted and power lines being damaged,” Gibbs said.
What are the latest rain forecasts for Evansville and Henderson?
Forecasters moved Evansville and Henderson, Kentucky into the 4 to 5 inch range Thursday evening. By Friday morning they had reduced that slightly to 7.5 to 10 cm. However, local heavy setbacks could push us higher. Places like Madisonville and Murray, Kentucky, could get as much as 6 inches of rain.
Most of Southwest Indiana, all of Western Kentucky and parts of Southern Illinois and Missouri are under a flood watch. Our previous drought could save us from the worst, “but we’ll have to stay alert,” Gibbs said.
EVSC cancels after-school activities, including football matches
Facing a 95% chance of rain and abnormally high winds, the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp. Friday morning that all after-school activities, including Friday’s football games, have been canceled.
“The games will be moved to (Saturday),” said a text message to parents and staff. “Start times will be announced as details become available.”
When will the rain and wind clear from Evansville?
The wind is expected to decrease around 6 p.m. on Friday. However, the rain will continue throughout the weekend.
Evansville still has an 80% chance of rain on Saturday, with possible precipitation continuing well into Sunday. Widespread rain won’t clear until Monday, and even then, slim chances remain.
How bad is Helene in the south?
By Friday morning, Helene had weakened to a tropical storm after crashing through Florida and Georgia. According to USA Today, the storm had killed at least six people and left more than four million without power across Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. NBC News reported that the outages could last weeks in some places.
This article originally appeared on the Evansville Courier & Press: Tropical Storm Helene: Evansville could experience dangerous winds Friday
