September 27th 2024.
The powerful Hurricane Helene was on the move, barreling towards the Big Bend area of Florida's northwestern coast. With winds reaching Category 4 status, it was a force to be reckoned with. As it made landfall on Thursday evening, forecasters warned of the potential for catastrophic storm surges, damaging winds, and flash floods across a wide swath of the southeastern United States.
As Helene approached, the state of Georgia was already feeling its effects, with two people tragically killed in a possible tornado. In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis reported another fatality as a result of a falling sign on Interstate 4. The storm had knocked out power to over a million homes and businesses in Florida and over 50,000 in Georgia, according to poweroutage.us.
States of emergency were declared in Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia, and Alabama, as Helene continued its destructive path. Meanwhile, in the Pacific, former Hurricane John was causing chaos on the western coast of Mexico with flash flooding and mudslides. In the Atlantic, Tropical Storm Isaac was forming and expected to strengthen as it moved away from the US.
Governor DeSantis urged Floridians to take the storm seriously and hunker down for safety. He also warned that more fatalities and property damage were likely as Helene advanced. 3500 National Guardsmen were on standby to help with the response efforts. The governor urged people to keep those affected by the storm in their thoughts and prayers.
As Helene made landfall in the Big Bend area, the National Hurricane Centre in Miami issued a grave warning of catastrophic flooding along the Gulf Coast. The storm hit around 11:10 p.m. EDT near Perry, Florida, with winds reaching 140 mph. Storm surges of up to 20 feet were expected, with the potential to be "unsurvivable" in some areas.
The impact of Helene was not limited to the coastal regions, as hurricane warnings and flash flood warnings extended far inland, reaching northern Georgia and western North Carolina. As of 11 p.m. EDT, over 885,000 customers were without power in Florida, with the majority of outages occurring in the Big Bend area.
In the Pacific, former Hurricane John was downgraded to a tropical storm as it slowly moved along Mexico's coast. However, the storm still posed a threat with sustained winds of 70 mph and the potential for severe flash flooding. John had initially made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in Acapulco earlier in the week, causing significant damage before reforming as a tropical storm.
Despite John's weakening, the US National Hurricane Centre continued to monitor its progress, warning of potential impacts in coastal areas. The storm was expected to weaken further as it moved along the coast.
On Thursday evening, the fast-moving Hurricane Helene made its way onto the Big Bend area of Florida's northwestern coast as a powerful Category 4 storm. The forecasters warned of the potential for a "catastrophic" storm surge, as well as damaging winds, heavy rainfall, and flash floods that could extend hundreds of miles inland across the southeastern United States.
As the storm approached, two people were reported dead in Georgia due to a possible tornado, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that one person had died while driving on Interstate 4 when a sign fell onto their car. The storm also caused widespread power outages, affecting over 1 million homes and businesses in Florida and over 50,000 in Georgia.
States of emergency were declared in Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia, and Alabama to prepare for the potential impact of the storm. Meanwhile, in the Pacific, former Hurricane John re-strengthened into a hurricane on Thursday morning and threatened areas of Mexico's western coast with flash flooding and mudslides. However, it was later downgraded to a tropical storm as it moved along the coast of the Mexican state of Michoacan.
In the Atlantic Ocean, Tropical Storm Isaac formed on Wednesday and is expected to gain strength as it moves away from the United States. Forecasters predict that it could become a hurricane by the end of the week.
Governor DeSantis expressed his concern for the safety of residents, urging them to heed the warnings and stay safe. He also announced that 3,500 National Guardsmen were ready to assist with any necessary response efforts. He cautioned that there could be more fatalities and property damage as the storm continues to advance.
The National Hurricane Centre in Miami reported that Hurricane Helene made landfall around 11:10 p.m. EDT near Perry, Florida, in the Big Bend area of the Gulf Coast. With maximum sustained winds of 140 mph, the storm has caused severe flooding along the Gulf Coast and officials have warned of the potential for a storm surge of up to 20 feet in Florida's Apalachee Bay.
The hurricane warnings and flash flood warnings extend beyond the coast, reaching as far as northern Georgia and western North Carolina. As of 11 p.m. EDT, over 885,000 customers in Florida were without power, according to the tracking site poweroutage.us. Many counties in the Big Bend area were heavily affected by the power outages.
Meanwhile, in Mexico, former Hurricane John was downgraded to a tropical storm on Thursday evening as it moved slowly along the coast of Michoacan. While the storm is weakening, it still poses a threat with sustained wind speeds of 70 mph and the potential for severe flash flooding. John first hit Mexico on Monday as a Category 3 hurricane, causing significant damage before re-emerging over the ocean and reforming as a tropical storm.
The US National Hurricane Centre predicts that John will continue to weaken as it moves further inland. However, the potential for damage and destruction remains a concern for coastal areas.
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