Heavy rainfall and gusty winds are battering parts of the Carolinas as a system designated as Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight moves closer to the South Carolina coast. With tropical storm-force winds of 50 mph, the system is positioned about 100 miles east of Charleston, South Carolina on Monday morning. Tropical storm warnings are in effect in the coastal Carolinas as the system continues to develop.

Although not yet organized enough to be classified as a tropical or subtropical storm, Tropical Cyclone Eight, now dubbed Potential Tropical Storm Helene, still has a medium chance of intensifying before making landfall later on Monday. However, time is running out for the system.

As the system progresses, heavy rain showers have already started soaking the eastern parts of the Carolinas, triggering flash flood warnings. Simultaneously, strong winds are lashing against the coast, resulting in rough seas. Interestingly, the system's heaviest rain and gusty winds are occurring away from its poorly defined center, as observed on satellite imagery.

Southern North Carolina is expected to bear the brunt of the storm's significant impacts, even though the system is likely to make landfall in South Carolina, somewhere between Charleston and Myrtle Beach. The primary threat posed by Helene will be flooding rain, with areas near the North Carolina-South Carolina border, including Wilmington, facing a level 3 out of 4 risk of flooding rainfall. A larger level 2 out of 4 risk area encompasses most of North Carolina and northern South Carolina.

Forecasters predict widespread rainfall totals of 4 to 8 inches across the affected regions by Monday night, with some parts of extreme southern North Carolina potentially experiencing double-digit rain amounts. In addition to heavy rain, the system could also spawn a few tornadoes in eastern North Carolina on Monday. Furthermore, a storm surge of up to 3 feet is possible from the northern South Carolina coast to the southern portions of North Carolina's Outer Banks by the time of landfall Monday afternoon.

The National Weather Service has issued a warning of "dangerous" marine conditions throughout the day. As the system moves inland over South Carolina later on Monday and Monday night, its winds are expected to quickly weaken. Rainfall will persist over parts of the Carolinas and spread to more of the mid-Atlantic by Tuesday, but the system is anticipated to dissipate by midweek.

The Carolinas have already endured significant rainfall in early August when Tropical Storm Debby caused a flash flood emergency near Charleston, South Carolina, with rainfall amounts ranging from 6 to 12 inches.

If Potential Tropical Storm Helene acquires a name on Monday, it will be the first named storm to make landfall in South Carolina since Hurricane Ian struck the region as a Category 1 hurricane in 2022. Additionally, Helene will mark the fourth named storm to make landfall in the United States during this year's hurricane season.

As the situation continues to develop, it is vital for residents in the affected areas to remain vigilant and heed the guidance of local authorities. Stay tuned for further updates on Potential Tropical Storm Helene.