Tropical Storm Helene drenches southern US, leaves behind devastation in Florida

Writer: Nicholas Karsen
Published: Updated:
Credit: The Weather Authority

The Weather Authority continues its coverage of Hurricane Helene, a once powerful Category 4 storm that hit the northern part of Florida.

Helene officially made landfall on Florida’s Big Bend as a Category 4 at around 11 p.m. on Thursday.

Helene has since been downgraded to a tropical depression as it continues to move through Kentucky.

According to the National Hurricane Center’s 2 p.m., Friday update, Helene is
moving toward the north-northwest at nearly 28 mph.

Helene is expected to slow down in forward speed as it continues to stall over the Tennessee Valley into Friday night and through the weekend.

All tropical storm warnings and storm surge warnings have been discontinued.

The impacts of the storm can be echoed through most of Florida, as storm surges, flooding, and high wind speeds have left the state weakened.

The Weather Authority Meteorologist Zach Maloch summarized the impacts of Helene and what to expect from the aftermath below:

The highest surge of Helene has come and gone, but water levels remain high across all of Southwest Florida’s coast. We saw 4 – 6 inches of water across portions of Southwest Florida, and Helene brought us the second-highest surge in recorded history after Hurricane Ian.

Helene rapidly strengthened into a 140 MPH Category 4 hurricane offshore of Southwest Florida, and that rapid strengthening brought the worst conditions on Thursday afternoon and evenings.

High tides will continue to be high across the area on Friday.

Water will rise a bit in communities up through those high tide times and then lower after those times.

In Southwest Florida, flooding caused multiple roadways to close. They are slowly reopening as the day moves on.

According to The Weather Authority Chief Meteorologist Matt Devitt, “Twenty-six tornado warnings were issued locally in Southwest Florida.”

Meanwhile, there is a new tropical disturbance in the area of the Caribbean that spawned the storms that ultimately became Hurricane Helene.

Tropical Disturbance 2 has a 30% chance of development over the next seven days.

The system is moving in a general northwest direction.

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