720

Image credit: CSU/CIRA & NOAA. Taken from Discover Magazine


Topic

Hurricanes

Date

Landfall near Perry, Florida on September 26, 2024 at 11:10 p.m. EDT (NOAA)

Location

Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia

Why was it on the news?

Hurricane Helene was a Category 4 storm with winds reaching 140 mph (NOAA). According to The Weather Network, Hurricane Helene is the deadliest inland hurricane on record, with a peak storm surge of around 15 feet in Florida’s Big Bend area. It is the strongest hurricane to hit the Big Bend area north of Tampa since 1851. The diameter of Helene was similar to to Hurricane Katrina at around 400 miles. The death toll from Hurricane Helene is estimated to surpass 230 people (ABC News). According to Fortune, the total damages and economic loss from Helene could total to $110 billion.


Sources