Hurricane Helene across the eastern Carolinas: September 27, 2024

Hurricane Helene was a category four hurricane that made landfall late in the evening of September 26, 2024 along the Florida Gulf Coast. Moving quickly northward, Helene brought damaging winds across Georgia and the western Carolinas along with unprecedented rainfall and flooding on September 27.

Hurricane Helene satellite animation September 26-27, 2024

Here across the eastern Carolinas, rain and winds were somewhat less of a concern given the larger distance from the storm's center. Storm total rainfall ranged from less than an inch along the coast to over four inches inland. Wind gusts peaked in the 45 to 60 mph range during the morning hours of September 27.

Hurricane Helene's center passed hundreds of miles west of our area today but still brought wind gusts up to 60 mph and...
Posted by US National Weather Service Wilmington NC on Friday, September 27, 2024

Additional local rain and wind reports are available here: Rainfall Summary | Wind Gust Summary

Lines of thunderstorms well east of Helene's center produced tornadoes across our portion of the Carolinas. Surveys are still ongoing this weekend, but NWS meteorologists have found evidence for two tornadoes across Bladen County, NC.

Damage reports for the Bladen County tornadoes

Damage locations and radar-derived times for the Bladen County tornadoes on September 27, 2024

Tornado damage near the Bladen/Sampson County line along Helltown Road

Tornado damage on the Bladen/Sampson County line on the Helltown Road bridge over the South River

Another EF-0 tornado was confirmed in Georgetown County, SC.

There may have been additional tornado touchdowns in other counties across southeastern North Carolina and northeastern South Carolina. This information will be made available over the next several days as survey crews continue to work in the field. If you witnessed damage from a tornado during the passage of Hurricane Helene across southeastern North Carolina or northeastern South Carolina, please contact our office with details!