Other wikis Hurricane Helene (/hɛˈliːn/ ⓘ heh-LEEN)[1] was a deadly and devastating tropical cyclone that caused widespread catastrophic damage and numerous fatalities across the Southeastern United States in late September 2024.

Late on September 26, Helene made landfall at peak intensity in the Big Bend region of Florida, near the city of Perry, with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (220 km/h).

In advance of Helene's landfall, states of emergency were declared in Florida and Georgia due to the significant impacts expected, including very high storm surge along the coast and hurricane-force gusts as far inland as Atlanta.

The storm caused catastrophic rainfall-triggered flooding, particularly in western North Carolina, East Tennessee, and southwestern Virginia, and spawned numerous tornadoes.

An upper-level trough to its west and a ridge of high pressure located off the Southeastern United States both served to steer the cyclone towards the U.S. Gulf Coast.

[11] After remaining steady in intensity for a while due to its broad size and some entrainment of drier air to its west, Helene recovered quickly and began its rapid intensification early on the morning of September 26 – aided by low mid-level wind shear, high relative humidity values and sea surface temperatures (SSTs) exceeding 30 °C (86 °F) near the Loop Current — as an increasingly defined eye developed, reaching Category 2 intensity at 12:00 UTC.

In a scientific assessment, researchers found that Helene had 10% more rain, had winds that were 13 miles per hour more intense, and drew energy from water that was 2.3 degrees Fahrenheit warmer due to climate change.

Researchers from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that in some parts of Georgia and North Carolina climate change increased the rainfall from the storm by more than 50%.

[24] Medical brigades were prepared for flood-prone areas;[37] as heavy rain began to fall, schools and ports were closed, and fishing boats were called in.

[99] As a result, the Goascorán River brought flooding to nearby communities located in low-lying areas through Valle and Choluteca departments, reaching a level over .48 feet (0.15 m).

[152][153] On September 27, Delta Air Lines at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport issued travel waivers to people impacted by flight cancellations or delays.

[154] A Baxter International manufacturing site in Marion, North Carolina, which produced 60% of the nation's sterile intravenous and kidney dialysis fluids for health facilities, was temporarily closed due to flood damage.

[202] Rabun County's emergency management department said many roads were left "impassable" by the storm and that most residents were without power into September 27, urging them to stay home to allow rescue and cleanup personnel to work uninterrupted.

[209] Georgia and surrounding regions produce almost half of the 9 billion chickens consumed annually across the United States, and manure runoff from the damaged facilities raised alarms about the quality of streams and groundwater.

[232] Almost the entirety of Biltmore Village and the River Arts District were flooded, and the city was largely isolated due to loss of power and cell service.

[251] A 44-year-old North Carolina man was later arrested and charged in the Rutherford County incident after he was found with a handgun and a rifle at a supermarket serving as a storm relief site.

[253] The storm and its aftermath caused 1,400 landslides and damaged over 160 water and sewer systems, at least 6,000 miles (9,650 kilometers) of roads, more than 1,000 bridges and culverts and an estimated 126,000 homes, the budget office said.

Later, on September 28, Clemson University announced that it would be opening some of its powered facilities and offering free food, drinks, ice, charging stations, and showers to the community for members in need of respite following the storm.

[265] Criticism continued when Clemson University announced that classes would be canceled on Monday, September 30, seemingly contradicting the earlier assertion that the area was recovered well enough to host a game.

A unit from the 1st Battalion of the 169th Aviation Regiment, part of the Connecticut Army National Guard, was deployed to North Carolina to help assist disaster relief efforts.

[333] Operation AirDrop and the Carolina Emergency Response Team helped deploy volunteer private helicopter pilots to assist in rescue efforts.

[338] The international non-profit agency SmartAID also coordinated with communities in North Carolina and Florida to provide limited electricity and communications systems in areas impacted by Helene.

[344] The National Hockey League (NHL) team, the Carolina Hurricanes, donated their ticket revenue from their game against the Nashville Predators on October 2, totaling $235,000.

[345][346] The National Basketball Association (NBA) team, the Charlotte Hornets, committed $1 million towards the American Red Cross and the Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina.

[352][353] On October 4, Elon Musk claimed on a post on X that FEMA was not allowing SpaceX personnel to deliver Starlink terminals to areas affected by Hurricane Helene and that the air space had been shut down.

[354] Roughly an hour later, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg responded to Musk on X by rejecting his claims, saying that the "FAA doesn’t block legitimate rescue and recovery flights" and offering to discuss any potential issues over the phone.

[357][358] Milton dumped 16 in (410 mm) of rain on Hillsborough County,[359] following its landfall south of the Tampa Bay area, near Siesta Key, as a Category 3 hurricane on October 9.

On September 30, Harris boarded Air Force Two en route to Joint Base Andrews to visit FEMA headquarters in Washington, D.C. for a briefing on support for emergency response and recovery efforts from the results of Hurricane Helene.

Biden was joined by North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer, FEMA director Deanne Criswell, and Homeland Security Advisor Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall.

[377] From Moody Air Force Base, Biden traveled to Shiloh Pecan Farm southwest of Ray City where he said it was time to put aside "rabid partisanship" to help get people relief.