Hurricane Helene (WFO JAX)
Hurricane Helene's Impacts in Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia from September 25-27th, 2024
NOTE: The data provided are preliminary. They are subject to updates and corrections as appropriate. The National Hurricane Center is responsible for conducting the official post-analysis of all tropical cyclones. Once compiled, the Tropical Cyclone Report is posted here: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/index.php .
Hurricane Helene made landfall as a category 4 with peak winds of near 140 mph in the Florida Big Bend just east of the Aucilla River Entrance in Taylor County, late Thursday evening September 26, 2024. Helene's main impact to southeast Georgia and northeast Florida was wind damage as it tracked quickly north-northeast. The very powerful hurricane and the forward motion produced a wide swath of wind damage across the forecast area with peak wind gusts 55 to 75 mph across the eastern half of the area, and western zones up to 75 to 100 mph from the Suwannee Valley area northward through interior southeast GA. The max wind gust of 100 mph was measured at the Alma GA ASOS in the early morning hours of Friday September 27th. Given the strength of these winds, widespread power outages, structure damage and downed or uprooted trees occurred across inland southeast GA and portions of northeast FL. At least 1 tornado occurred, which was in Coffee county. Maximum rainfall amounts of 3 to 5 inches were located over western half of the area.
Winds
Highest Wind Gusts Across NE FL & SE GA During Helene:
Graphic on the right created by the NWS GIS Mutual Aid team.
Photos of wind damage taken on storm surveys from NWS JAX WCM Al Sandrik, and MIC Scott Cordero from areas that received the worst wind impacts.
County photo was taken: 1- Coffee, 2- Atkinson, 3- Clinch, 4- Coffee, 5- Echols, 6- Hamilton, 7- Suwannee, 8- Bacon.
Widespread power outages across the southeastern United States as a result of Helene's winds, as seen on visible satellite imagery (left photo posted by NWS GSP on 09/28) and power outage map (right photo from poweroutage.us from 09/28). Many communities are still without power one week after the storm made landfall.
Rainfall
Maximum Rainfall Totals Across NE FL & SE GA From Hurricane Helene:
Graphic on the right created by the NWS GIS Mutual Aid team.
Tornadoes
An EF-0 Tornado touched down in Broxton, GA (Coffee County) in a rainband from Hurricane Helene. The estimated peak wind was 65 mph with a path length of 0.46 miles, and width of 30 yards (path highlighted in green). The tornado was on the ground for approximately three minutes, from 2:30 - 2:33 pm on Thursday, September 26th. A Tornado Warning was issued by NWS JAX for the Broxton area at 2:23pm.
Photo of the tornado on the ground taken by Candace Stone Parker near HWY 268.
Tornado Warning issued by NWS JAX approximately 7 minutes before a tornado was reported on the ground by an Emergency Manager in Coffee County.
River Flooding
Flooding along the St. Johns river during Helene, typical problem areas reached minor to moderate flood stage during the peak of high tide. Several rivers along the Altamaha and Suwannee basins are forecast to reach minor flood stage, with the Alapaha River at Statenville forecast to reach Major flood stage.
First photo is the observation of the St. Johns River at Main Street Bridge reaching just below moderate stage. Second photo is the Southbank river walk flooded. Third photo taken by Mike Buresh near Marsh Street in downtown Jacksonville. Fourth photo taken by Robert Grant near Riverside Ave. Fifth photo showing river flooding near Lomax street. Sixth photo is the observation of the St. Johns River in Jacksonville near the Acosta Bridge reaching just above moderate stage.
The Alapaha River at Statenville is forecast to reach Major flood stage after flooding rainfall from Helene upstream impacts the area. At 103 feet, homes along the river in Statenville and Griner Road become inundated.
The surge forecast for the Atlantic coast and St. Johns river basin was 1-3 feet, prompting a Coastal Flood Warning.
Additional Resources:
- NWS JAX post storm report: https://www.weather.gov/media/jax/TropicalEventSummary/PSHJAX_2024AL09_Helene_Summary.pdf
- NWS JAX county impact narratives: https://www.weather.gov/media/jax/TropicalEventSummary/PSHJAX_2024AL09_Helene_ImpactNarratives(2).pdf
- NHC Helene Advisory Archive: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2024/HELENE.shtml?
- NOTE: The data provided are preliminary. They are subject to updates and corrections as appropriate.
- The National Hurricane Center is responsible for conducting the official post-analysis of all tropical cyclones. Once compiled, the Tropical Cyclone Report is posted here: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/index.php .
