Hurricane Helene made landfall in the Big Bend area of the Florida Gulf Coast as a Category 4 storm late in the evening of September 26, 2024. Helene's largest impacts were across the southern Appalachians where widespread severe and unprecedented flooding occurred with hundreds of fatalities and billions in property damage. Strong wind gusts damaged property and blew trees and power lines down in a swath from the Gulf Coast to the North Carolina mountains.
GOES-16 GeoColor satellite loop from September 26 to 27, 2024 showing Helene moving through the Southeast U.S. |
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.
Additional local rain and wind reports are available here: Rainfall Summary | Wind Gust Summary
Lines of thunderstorms well east of Helene's center produced six confirmed tornadoes across southeast NC and northeast SC on September 27.
Map of tornadoes across southeastern NC and northeastern SC associated with Helene: September 27, 2024 |
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Page Authors: Tim Armstrong and Bob Bright
Last Updated: October 18, 2024