Southeast Reels from Hurricanes: Helene and Milton’s Devastation

The US Southeast continues to face significant challenges in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which struck in rapid succession in late September and early October. Hurricane Helene resulted in over 200 fatalities, marking it as the deadliest mainland US hurricane since Katrina. Hurricane Milton, while having a lower death toll at 35, virtually ties Helene for total damages, making the combined damages from both hurricanes estimated at just under $175 billion.

In response, the federal government has approved nearly $2 billion in aid for six affected states, and FEMA has deployed over 1,400 personnel to assist with recovery efforts. State governments have also mobilized National Guard units and established emergency hotlines to support residents.

As communities begin the arduous process of rebuilding, many residents remain without power or running water. Despite these hardships, there are stories of resilience and solidarity. In devastated western North Carolina, volunteers are using mules to deliver supplies to remote areas as restoration contractors work tirelessly to repair homes and businesses.

 

Hurricane Milton Intensifies, Threatens Florida's West Coast

Latest projected path of Milton from NOAA and
the National Weather Service

Hurricane Milton, currently churning in the Gulf of Mexico, is rapidly intensifying and poses a significant threat to Florida's west coast. The storm, which formed on Saturday, is expected to strengthen into a major hurricane before making landfall midweek.

As of Sunday morning, Hurricane Milton was located more than 800 miles west-southwest of Tampa, Florida, with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph, making it a Category 1 hurricane. The storm is moving eastward at 6 mph and is forecast to continue on this general path before turning northeast towards Florida.

The National Hurricane Center predicts that Milton could become a Category 4 hurricane with winds of up to 140 mph as it approaches the Florida Peninsula. However, there is still uncertainty in the forecast, with some models suggesting the storm could reach Category 5 strength. The primary threats from Hurricane Milton include life-threatening storm surge, damaging winds, and torrential rainfall. Forecasters warn that certain areas could receive up to a foot of rain by Wednesday night, leading to potential flooding of waterways and streets. Storm surge and wind impacts are expected to begin as early as late Tuesday or Wednesday along Florida's west coast.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for 35 counties, many of which are still recovering from the impacts of Hurricane Helene, which struck the state less than two weeks ago. Mandatory evacuations are already in place in some parts of the state, and officials are urging residents to finalize their storm preparations immediately.

Residents in the potential path of Hurricane Milton are advised to have their hurricane preparedness plans ready and to heed any guidance from local officials. This includes stocking up on essential supplies, securing outdoor items, and being prepared to evacuate if ordered to do so. Some locations are already offering sandbags to residents.

The rapid intensification of Hurricane Milton is particularly concerning given the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the minimal vertical wind shear, conditions that are conducive to strengthening. These same conditions led to the explosive growth of Helene just two weeks ago. The National Hurricane Center emphasizes that regardless of the exact strength at landfall, there is growing confidence that a powerful hurricane with life-threatening hazards will be affecting portions of the Florida west coast around the middle of this week.

Hurricane and storm surge watches are expected to be issued for portions of the Florida coastline by Sunday. Residents throughout Florida, as well as in the Florida Keys and northwestern Bahamas, are urged to stay informed about the storm's progress and be prepared to take action if necessary.

This article was written with the help of AI.

Hurricane Helene Leaves Destruction Across US Southeast

Hurricane Helene, the first major hurricane to strike the US this year, left billions of dollars in damage and dozens dead across the US Southeast. The fast-moving, large storm made landfall in the Florida Big Bend region as a category 4 storm before quickly moving into Georgia, snapping trees and damaging buildings with its high winds. Coastal cities like Cedar Key, Florida, were inundated with record-high storm surge, destroying many buildings not built on stilts. The surge in Tampa, hundreds of miles away from where the storm made landfall, also exceeded the surge from Idalia back in 2023.

The storm quickly moved north, dumping torrential rainfall in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. Dams in North Carolina nearly reached their breaking point as flood waters moved into population centers, with the city of Asheville, North Carolina becoming isolated from surrounding areas by floodwaters. Videos have shown houses floating away after they were swept off their foundations. One town, Chimney Rock, was nearly completely wiped away by flooding.

Helene, the second major Atlantic hurricane of this season, quickly intensified from a tropical storm in the western Caribbean, dumping rain on eastern Cuba and on the Yucatan Peninsula. The warm ocean waters of the western Caribbean and eastern Gulf of Mexico allowed the storm’s windspeeds to reach 140 mph at landfall, and the storm’s large size allowed it to move high storm surge into a wide area.

Another group of storms is developing close to where Helene first formed in the western Caribbean and may form into another storm this week. Its exact track is still unknown.

 

Hurricane Beryl Becomes Earliest-Forming Category 4 in Atlantic Basin

Hurricane Beryl, only the second storm of what has been predicted to be a highly active Atlantic hurricane season, has become the earliest forming major hurricane in the Atlantic basin as well as the earliest forming category four storm in the basin, beating the record set by Hurricane Dennis in July 2007. Beryl, which only became a tropical storm on June 28th, rapidly intensified into a major hurricane, reaching category 4 status on Sunday.

The storm has the potential to reach category 5 strength, which would displace Hurricane Emily in 2005 as the earliest forming category 5 in the Atlantic.

Beryl will move through the Windward Islands this coming week, with major impacts expected in St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, and Tobago. Afterwards, the storm will head towards the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, where it faces an uncertain path forward through the Gulf of Mexico. The European model has Beryl heading into Mexico south of Tampico, while the US model takes Beryl on a more northerly path towards Corpus Christi, Texas.

 

Hurricane Idalia Strikes Florida and East Coast

Hurricane Idalia struck Florida as a category 3 hurricane on Wednesday after briefly peaking in strength as a category 4 storm. Idalia struck the Big Bend area of Florida, where the Florida Panhandle connects to the larger Florida peninsula.

Idalia’s storm surge flooded coastal communities and low-lying inland areas. However, Idalia’s damage was nowhere near the destruction brought by last year’s Hurricane Ian, which struck as a strong category 4 storm in Southwest Florida, devastating the cities of Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel. Unlike Ian, Idalia was a fast-moving storm, leaving less time for storm surge and heavy rains to inundate populated centers. Still, insured losses from Idalia are projected to exceed $9 billion. Ian’s damages, in contrast, were $113 billion, making it the third-costliest Atlantic hurricane on record after Katrina and Harvey.

After striking Florida, Idalia moved up into Georgia, bringing rain and wind as it weakened over land. Idalia is currently hugging the North Carolina coast and moving offshore, where it is projected to move out to sea and possibly affect Bermuda in the coming days as weak hurricane.