Hurricane Helene is tracking toward Florida’s Gulf Coast and threatens to strengthen to a Category 4 storm by the time it makes landfall, but its remnants could push all the way into the Chicago area this weekend.
According to the latest guidance from the National Hurricane Center, Helene is expected to make landfall in Florida on Thursday evening and could strengthen a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of over 130 miles per hour.
The storm is expected to hit the panhandle of the state and then push into Georgia, where it is still likely to be a hurricane by Friday morning. It is expected to slowly push north, losing strength but remaining a threat due to heavy rain centered around a low pressure area.
You can follow Hurricane Helene’s movement here.
As the storm moves north, it is expected to tighten around its central rotation, but could push far enough north to bring bands of rain into the Chicago area on Saturday and even into Sunday, according to forecast models.
These showers are difficult to predict as the storm moves north, as bands can spin around the area of low pressure and affect some areas more than others, according to forecast models.
Still, the chance for showers associated with the storm will remain until it pushes east late Sunday and into Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
After it departs, cooler temperatures are expected to take hold, with highs in the 60s early next week.