The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season will be remembered for Hurricane Helene, a powerful and destructive Category 4 storm.
It caused widespread devastation across the southeastern United States, with significant impacts on Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. This overview provides a comprehensive review of Hurricane Helene, from its formation and path to the lasting consequences it left behind.
Here is a quick summary of Hurricane Helene’s key details:
- When: September 24 to 28, 2024
- Where: Southeastern United States, with major impacts on Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina
- Category: Landfall as a Category 4 hurricane with winds around 140 mph (120 knots)
- Land Impacts: Severe damage to infrastructure, catastrophic inland flooding, widespread power outages, and significant economic losses estimated at $78.7 billion
Development and Intensification of Hurricane Helene
Hurricane Helene originated from a large area of low pressure over Central America around September 20, 2024. The system moved into the warm waters of the northwestern Caribbean Sea, where it gradually organized. By September 24, it had strengthened into Tropical Storm Helene while located south of Cuba.
As Helene moved into the Gulf, it encountered extremely favorable conditions, including very warm sea surface temperatures. This led to a period of rapid intensification, a process where a storm’s wind speeds increase dramatically in a short amount of time. In less than 24 hours, Helene exploded in strength, transforming from a Category 1 to a major Category 4 hurricane.
Tracking the Path and Timeline of Hurricane Helene
Hurricane Helene followed a destructive track that brought it directly into the southeastern U.S. It started south of Cuba and made its way north towards the Gulf Coast and subsequently moved slowly inland after making landfall.
Below is a detailed timeline of Hurricane Helene’s progression.
- September 24: The system officially becomes Tropical Storm Helene south of Cuba.
- September 25: Helene strengthens into a hurricane as it passes east of the Yucatán Peninsula.
- September 26: The storm undergoes rapid intensification in the Gulf Coast and makes landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region late at night as a powerful Category 4 storm with 140 mph winds.
- September 27: After passing through Florida and more inland, it weakens to a tropical storm as it moves across southern Georgia.
- September 28: The system continues its slow journey northward, bringing torrential rain to the Carolinas and Tennessee before dissipating over north-central Tennessee.
The storm’s immense size was a key factor in its widespread impact. At its peak, tropical-storm-force winds extended outward up to 360 nautical miles from its center, exposing a vast area to dangerous conditions for a prolonged period.
What Made Hurricane Helene So Destructive?
Hurricane Helene’s destructive power resulted from a catastrophic combination of extreme wind, record-breaking rainfall, and a massive storm surge. The storm was responsible for at least 250 fatalities and left behind an estimated $78.7 billion in damages, making it one of the costliest hurricanes in recent history.
A couple factors contributed to Helene’s devastation including the following:
- Helene’s Strength at Landfall: Helene struck Florida as a powerful Category 4 hurricane. Its extreme winds flattened buildings, toppled trees, and destroyed infrastructure near the coast and far inland.
- Catastrophic Inland Flooding: After making landfall, the storm’s slow movement, over several states within the U.S. south resulted in historic rainfall across Georgia, the Carolinas, and Tennessee. This led to river flooding and flash floods that inundated entire communities.
- Widespread and Prolonged Power Outages: The combination of high winds and flooding knocked out power for an estimated 7.4 million customers across multiple states. Damage to the electrical grid was so extensive that it took weeks to restore service to many areas.
How Hurricane Helene Affected Florida
Helene made landfall on September 26, 2024, in Florida’s Big Bend region, an area not accustomed to such a powerful direct hit.
Coastal communities like Keaton Beach were devastated, with a storm surge of 12 to 16 feet gutting homes and washing structures away.
The storm crippled critical infrastructure, washed away roads, and created immense challenges for first responders conducting search and rescue operations. The storm was also deemed “the worst storm in a century” in the Tampa Bay area.
Helene’s Impact on Georgia, the Carolinas, and Beyond
As Helene moved inland, it transitioned into a massive and slow-moving rain event. The wind damage was severe, destroying buildings as far inland as Valdosta, Georgia.
The storm stalled over the southern Appalachian Mountains, dumping more than 20 inches of rain in some areas and producing record-breaking floods, particularly in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee.
Rivers such as the French Broad and Swannanoa crested at all-time highs, submerging large parts of Asheville, including the River Arts District and Biltmore Village. The torrential rain on saturated, steep terrain also triggered hundreds of devastating landslides that destroyed homes and cut off transportation routes, isolating communities for days.
Helene’s impacts extended beyond these states. Widespread flooding, strong winds, and storm-related hazards were reported in Tennesse, Virginia, West Virginia, Alabama, Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, and Indiana. Communities in these areas faced flooded roads, damaged infrastructure, and power outages, highlighting how the storm’s heavy rainfall and strong winds reached far inland.
Meteorological Facts About Hurricane Helene 2024
Beyond the damage it caused, the storm displayed striking features and left behind many noteworthy facts and records.
Helene’s Unusual Track and Regional Impact
Hurricane Helene followed a rare and shifting path that challenged forecasters and impacted communities across a wide area. After forming in the central Atlantic, Helene initially moved westward before curving northwest toward Florida’s Gulf Coast. The storm produced sustained winds of 140 miles per hour and a massive storm surge that flooded coastal areas.
Once inland, Helene continued to produce hazardous conditions far from the coast. Georgia and South Carolina experienced widespread flooding, with rivers overflowing and roads washed out. Western North Carolina recorded record-breaking rainfall, triggering catastrophic flash floods that destroyed homes, bridges, and roads.
Virginia and West Virginia saw swollen rivers and widespread property damage, while Tennessee and Alabama faced flooding along major waterways that affected both communities and farmland.
Even further inland, Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, and Indiana recorded significant rainfall, which caused river flooding and localized infrastructure damage. Helene’s path and heavy rains reinforced that a hurricane’s impact is not limited to coastal regions and can affect communities hundreds of miles from landfall.
Coastline Altering Storm Surge
Helene generated a massive and destructive storm surge along Florida’s Gulf Coast. Inundation levels reached 10 to 15 feet above ground in the hardest-hit areas, pushing far inland and flooding homes, businesses, and infrastructure.
The surge fundamentally altered the coastline in some locations, destroying marinas, piers, and coastal highways.
Rainfall and Flooding from Helene
While the coast was battered by wind and surge, inland regions faced a freshwater flooding disaster of historic proportions. Parts of western North Carolina recorded rainfall totals exceeding 25 inches, leading to catastrophic flash flooding and river flooding that overwhelmed all defenses.
The sheer volume of water reshaped landscapes and caused damage far from where the storm made landfall.
Rebuilding Communities and Enhancing Resilience
Recovering from Hurricane Helene posed significant challenges. The widespread destruction of homes, businesses, and public infrastructure across multiple states required a coordinated and long-term rebuilding effort.
Recovery from a storm of this magnitude is a marathon, not a sprint. As communities rebuild, the focus is on creating stronger, more resilient infrastructure capable of withstanding future events. This includes elevating homes, strengthening building codes, and investing in modernizing the electrical grid.
Tidal Basin is committed to helping communities navigate the complexities of disaster recovery. Our experts provide guidance on securing federal funding, managing large-scale recovery, debris management and monitoring, and implementing mitigation strategies to reduce the impact of future storms.
We’re ready to help state and local governments lead their communities through recovery and build a more resilient future. Contact us to learn how we can support you.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hurricane Helene
When did Hurricane Helene make landfall?
Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region, near Perry, Florida during the late hours of September 26, 2024.
What category was Hurricane Helene?
Helene reached a peak intensity of Category 4 and made landfall in Florida as a strong Category 4 hurricane with winds of 140 mph. As it moved inland, the storm gradually weakened but remained a strong tropical storm or Category 1 hurricane while affecting Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
Even further inland, Helene continued to bring heavy rain, flooding, and gusty winds across Virginia, West Virginia, Alabama, Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, and Indiana.
Where exactly did Hurricane Helene hit?
Hurricane Helene made landfall near the Florida Big Bend region, with the storm’s eye striking approximately 10 miles southwest of Perry, Florida, on September 26, 2024.
As Helene moved inland, it caused widespread flooding, wind damage, and infrastructure disruptions across Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Further inland, states including Virginia, West Virginia, Alabama, Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, and Indiana experienced heavy rainfall, river flooding, and localized property damage.
What damage did Hurricane Helene cause?
Hurricane Helene caused catastrophic damage, including an estimated $78.7 billion in economic losses, at least 250 fatalities, widespread structural destruction, historic inland flooding, and one of the largest power outages in southeastern U.S. history.
