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Helene continues onslaught of southeastern United States

Writer's picture: Jessica FranklinJessica Franklin
Sep 27, 20243 min read

Helene has weakened to a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 110 km/h. Helene is expected to become a post-tropical low this afternoon or tonight.


Recently the Marine Corp Air Station at Beaufort, South Carolina recorded a wind gust of 120 km/h.


Life-threatening storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could reach 5 to 10 feet from Aucilla River to Chassahowitzka, 4 to 7 feet from Chassahowitzka to Anclote River, 3.6 feet from Indian Pass to Aucilla River and 3 to 5 feet in Tampa Bay if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide.


Swells from Helene will impact a large swath of Florida and the coasts of Georgia and the Carolinas during the next couple of days.


This morning northern Florida through eastern Georgia into southern South Carolina are seeing tropical storm conditions. These conditions will continue spreading northward across the tropical storm warning areas in the Southeastern U.S. through today.


Strong, damaging winds, especially in gusts, will likely penetrate as far inland as the higher terrain of the southern Appalachians.


Parts of the Southeastern U.S. into the Southern Appalachians, will see 6 to 12 inches of rain, with isolated totals around 20 inches. Catastrophic and potentially life-threatening flash and urban flooding, along with significant and record river flooding is expected. Numerous significant landslides are expected in steep terrain across the southern Appalachians.


Tornadoes are possible this morning over parts of eastern Georgia, and through this afternoon over the Carolinas and southern Virginia.


 

Preliminary Storm Total Rainfall in inches from 800 a.m. EDT September 25 through 10:00 p.m. EDT September 26:


ALABAMA

  • EUFAULA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT 6.11

  • AUBURN-OPELIKA AIRPORT 5.72

  • FORT MITCHELL 5.35

  • AUBURN 1.2 SSW 3.89

  • EUFAULA 6.8 S 3.44

  • DOUBLE SPRINGS 3.2 NNE 3.13

  • PANSEY 1.6 NNE 2.87

  • REHOBETH 2.1 SSW 2.44

  • MONTGOMERY 12.9 S 2.40

  • SHOAL CREEK 2.28

  • TUSCALOOSA 4.4 SE 1.30


FLORIDA

  • SUMATRA 15.50

  • WILMA 11.94

  • GULF COUNTY SALINAS PARK 10.75

  • ST GEORGE ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE 9.32

  • APALACHICOLA 9.20

  • MARIANNA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT 7.73

  • BLOXHAM 2 SSE 6.59

  • MIDWAY 6.9 SW 5.40

  • CENTRAL CITY 1 WSW 5.08

  • SEACREST 0.4 NW 4.42

  • INLET BEACH 2.7 WNW 4.41

  • DUNEDIN 2.4 ESE 4.38

  • QUINCY 6.0 SW 4.35

  • SANBORN 1 ESE 4.27

  • MARIANNA 0.8 NNE 3.75

  • HAVANA 5.5 NE 3.72

  • STUART 1.0 ESE 2.92

  • TALLAHASSEE 9.8 N 2.11


GEORGIA

  • LOUISVILLE 8.16

  • BUTLER MUNICIPAL AIRPORT 7.72

  • BRASSTOWN 7.69

  • PINE MOUNTAIN HARRIS COUNTY AIRPORT 7.43

  • ATLANTA DE KALB-PEACHTREE AIRPORT 7.41

  • CENTER HILL 3 SE 6.85

  • GAINESVILLE GILMER MEMORIAL AIRPORT 6.21

  • MOULTRIE 6.2 SW 6.05

  • TIFTON 6.8 E 5.84

  • OCHLOCKNEE 2 E 5.61

  • CLEVELAND 3.9 WNW 5.26

  • RABUN GAP 2.1 SW 5.23

  • DUBLIN 6.3 SW 5.00

  • EASTMAN 2.1 ENE 5.00

  • RAYLE 7.2 N 4.91

  • THOMASVILLE 2 NNE 4.63

  • SYLVESTER 1 NE 4.18

  • ATLANTA 5.3 NE 3.82

  • DAMASCUS 3.08


NORTH CAROLINA

  • BUSICK 13.74

  • LAKE TOXAWAY 13.73

  • CONNESTEE FALLS 1.0 SW 12.29

  • BLOWING ROCK 12.28

  • CROOKED CREEK 11.63

  • CELO 9.76

  • HENDERSONVILLE 3.4 NW 8.85

  • WOODFIN 2.4 N 8.32

  • ASHEVILLE 2.1 NNW 8.26

  • SEVEN DEVILS 0.1 E 8.02

  • OLD FORT 3.6 NW 7.95

  • BREVARD 10.1 S 7.20

  • BEECH MOUNTAIN 1 N 4.55


SOUTH CAROLINA

  • SALEM 11.12

  • ANDERSON 10.54

  • WEST UNION 9.17

  • TABLE ROCK 8.06

  • TRAVELERS REST 11.0 N 6.82

  • SALEM 3.5 NW 6.31

  • SLATER-MARIETTA 6.4 NW 5.94

  • TAMASSEE 0.9 NW 5.86

  • SUNSET 2.9 W 5.46

  • KEOWEE KEY 1.5 WNW 4.63


TENNESSEE

  • SEVIERVILLE 6.06

  • CHUCKEY 1 WNW 5.51

  • WILDWOOD 5.49

  • TOWNSEND 4.2 SE 5.09

  • JOHNSON CITY 4.3 SSW 5.04

  • SEVIERVILLE 5.4 ENE 5.00

  • TUSCULUM 0.7 WNW 4.60

  • GREENEVILLE 3.0 S 4.43

  • WHITE PINE 2.0 NE 4.28

  • CHURCH HILL 1.0 ENE 3.87

  • GREENBACK 2.1 ENE 3.70


Preliminary Peak Wind gusts in miles per hour earlier in the event:


FLORIDA

  • CEDAR KEY 84

  • JENA 83

  • ALBERT WHITTED AIRPORT 82

  • CLEARWATER BEACH 74

  • ST PETERSBURG/CLEARWATER AIRPORT 71

  • ST PETERSBURG 70

  • VENICE 69

  • SARASOTA 68

  • PUNTA GORDA 66

  • BOCA CHICA 64

  • CRYSTAL BEACH 63

  • FORT MYERS 62

  • TARPON PT 62

  • SUGARLOAF KEY 4 SE 61

  • GROVE CITY 59

  • MULBERRY 59

  • KEY WEST 9 SW 58

  • LAYTON 3 WNW 56

  • DANIA BEACH 1 NW 55

  • KEY COLONY BEACH 2 W 54

  • MIAMI BEACH 5 SSE 54

  • PLAYALINDA BEACH 28 ESE 54

  • SNUG HARBOR 2 NE 54

  • ST LUCIE 4 NNW 54

  • DUCK KEY 50

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