News

Here's When You Can Say Adios To Hurricane Hermine

by Morgan Brinlee

The fact of the matter is that Mother Nature doesn't care about weekend plans. Hermine reached hurricane strength Thursday afternoon as it swooped toward Florida's Gulf Coast, where forecasters expect it will make landfall by early Friday. If it does, Hermine will end Florida's nearly 11-year hurricane drought, bringing with it a strong storm surge up to 8 or 9 feet high in some areas. As the rest of the United States keeps a close eye on Hermine, many in the storm's projected path are wondering: When will Hurricane Hermine be over?

While the National Hurricane Center has been able to map Hurricane Hermine's projected path, storms can be unpredictable. It's important to keep up to date with the latest information available and heed any and all warnings issued by local authorities.

Forecasters expect Hurricane Hermine to make landfall along Florida's Gulf Coast late Thursday or early Friday. The region has been pummeled with rain since Wednesday, and Hermine could bring upwards of 10 additional inches to some areas along with hurricane-force winds of up to 80 miles per hour. Hermine's landfall could also bring a dangerous storm surge, or a rising of sea water pushed ashore by a storm. Considered one of the more deadly effects of a hurricane, storm surge warnings were issued from Franklin County to Hernando County, the Washington Post reported.

Hermine is expected to continue moving north-northeast through southeast Georgia and over the eastern regions of South Carolina and North Carolina on Friday and Saturday. Forecasters have said Hermine could travel as far up the coast as Boston by Monday before moving into the Atlantic Ocean, NBC News reported. Governors in Georgia and North Carolina followed Florida Gov. Rick Scott's lead and issued a state of emergency Thursday for dozens of counties within their states.

According to the Weather Channel, the effects of Hermine may be felt well beyond the storm's projected path. Tropical storm warnings were issued along the coast from the Virginia Tidewater through Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey, with forecasters warning of high winds, rip currents, coastal flooding, heavy rain, and flash flooding. While Hurricane Hermine is likely to bring heavy rain and wind to the region through Friday and Saturday, forecasters expect the storm to have moved beyond the coastline come Monday.

While hurricanes don't come with detailed itineraries, it's safe to say Hermine will eat up most of the Labor Day weekend for those along the United State's southeastern coast.