The most recent major hurricanes to hit the U.S. left hundreds of people dead and caused billions of dollars worth of damage.
HURRICANE BERYL – 2024
Hurricane Beryl was the first of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Exceptionally warm ocean temperatures caused it to strengthen into a Category 5 storm rapidly in early July. It’s winds peaked at 165 mph (270 kph) before weakening to a still-destructive Category 4.
When hurricane Beryl hit Texas, it had dropped to a Category 1 storm. Beryl has been blamed for at least 36 deaths. The storm caused an estimated $28 billion to $32 billion in damages, according to AccuWeather’s preliminary estimates.
HURRICANE IDALIA – 2023
Hurricane Idalia slammed into Florida on Aug. 30, 2023 with 125-mph (201-kph) winds that split trees in half, ripped roofs off hotels and turned small cars into boats before sweeping into Georgia and South Carolina where it flooded roadways and sent residents running for higher ground.
The category 4 hurricane was the largest to hit Florida’s Big Bend region in more than 125 years. The storm left 12 dead and produced 5 to 10 inches of rain across Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas, leaving damages topping $3.6 billion, according to the National Hurricane Center.
HURRICANE IAN – 2022
Hurricane Ian briefly reached maximum Category 5 status before weakening to a Category 4 storm as it blasted ashore in September 2022 in southwest Florida. The storm caused more than $112 billion in damage in the U.S. and more than 150 deaths directly or indirectly, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The agency reported that Ian was the costliest hurricane in Florida history and the third-costliest ever in the U.S. as a whole. In addition to Florida, Ian impacted Georgia, Virginia, the Carolinas and Cuba before it fell apart Oct. 1, 2022.
HURRICANE IDA – 2021
Hurricane Ida roared ashore in Louisiana as a Category 4 storm with 150-mph (241-kph) winds in late August 2021, knocking out power to New Orleans, blowing roofs off buildings and reversing the flow of the Mississippi River as it rushed from the Louisiana coast into one of the nation’s most important industrial corridors.
At the time it was tied for the fifth-strongest hurricane ever to hit the mainland. At least 91 deaths across nine states were attributed to the storm – most from drowning, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Damages from the storm were estimated to be about $36 billion.
HURRICANE ZETA – 2020
Hurricane Zeta left millions without power when it hit southeastern Louisiana on October 29, 2020. It had weakened to a tropical storm after leaving the Yucatan Peninsula but intensified to a category 3 storm before making landfall.
The hurricane caused five direct fatalities and about $4.4 billion in damage in the United States, according to the National Hurricane Center.
HURRICANE DELTA – 2020
When Hurricane Delta slammed into Louisiana on Oct. 9, 2020, residents were still cleaning up from Hurricane Laura, which had taken a similar path just six weeks earlier. Delta was a category 4 storm before it made two landfalls – both at category 2 intensity, according to the National Hurricane Center.
It first hit the Yucatan Peninsula before coming ashore in southwestern Louisiana. Delta cost $2.9 billion in the United States and was linked to six deaths in the U.S. and Mexico, according to a report from the National Hurricane Center.
HURRICANE LAURA – 2020
Hurricane Laura, a category 4 storm, roared ashore in southwest Louisiana on Aug. 27, 2020, packing 150-mph (240-kph) winds and a storm surge as high as 15 feet (4.5 meters) in some areas. Laura was responsible for 47 direct deaths in the United States and Hispaniola, and caused about $19 billion in damage in the U.S., according to the National Hurricane Center.
The deaths included five people killed by fallen trees and one person who drowned in a boat. Eight people died from carbon monoxide poisoning due to unsafe operation of generators.
PORT RICHEY, Fla. — Clean-up efforts continue after Hurricane Helene left its mark on the Tampa Bay area.
What You Need To Know
Homes along Port Richey’s Bay Boulevard were dealing with flooding Friday in the wake of Hurricane Helene
The road sits on the west side of U.S. 19, which is in one of Pasco County’s evacuation zones
For one family, the aftermath may not seem like anything new as Hurricane Helene is now the fourth storm they have been through
In Pasco County, homes were damaged following heavy winds and flooding. One of the areas impacted was Bay Boulevard, where the road was still flooded as of Friday afternoon.
Resident say the water has begun to recede, but they are still dealing with the damage left behind.
“It looked like a bomb went off in here, man. It just looked like a bomb went off,” resident Kyle Poulsen said Friday. “All the furniture had floated to the doors, to the entryways.”
Poulsen dealing with the clean-up from Hurricane Helene was something he’d gone through before.
“Here we go again,” he says. “Like, here we go again.”
He said Hurricane Helene is now the fourth major storm his family has been through since moving to Port Richey.
“We’ve applied for the grants to either raise the house or build new, and this is just getting old,” Poulsen said.
Just walking through his family’s home, it’s easy to see what Poulsen is talking about. Flood level markings from Helene stain the walls, and furniture is upturned and scattered throughout the house.
“I mean, we put bricks on two of the bookcases and it held them from tipping over,” Poulsen said. “Cinder blocks, yeah.”
For now, he said it’s a matter of cleaning up and saving as many precious memories as possible in the process.
“So, we’ll save what we can,” he said. “Rinse off what we can, and just toss the rest.”
Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida on Sept. 26, killing at least 40 people and leaving a four-state swath of destruction.
Before the hurricane’s impact, a social media user said in a Sept. 25 post that it was human-made. “So, today we’re going to hit on this hurricane that’s going up into Florida and maybe figure out who’s causing it,” the narrator said as an image of the storm’s projected path appeared behind him.
He cited a 1947 hurricane named “King” and said it had the “exact same path” as Helene. Hurricane King was the subject of an experiment conducted by the U.S. Air Force and General Electric Co. called “Project Cirrus.”
“Hurricane Helene? Weather modification?” the caption read.
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There’s no proof that Hurricane Helene was formed through weather modification. Bart Geerts, professor at the University of Wyoming Department of Atmospheric Science, told PolitiFact that’s “false.”
“NOAA confirms that there are no weather modification activities that could have resulted in Hurricane Helene. Hurricanes form on their own given the right conditions and that was the case with Helene,” Monica Allen, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s public affairs director, told PolitiFact.
Allen cited Project Stormfury, a NOAA project in the 1960s that “involved seeding existing hurricanes.” Attempted on four hurricanes, the project studied how seeding clouds with silver iodide could lead to a decrease in the hurricane’s strongest winds.
“This project ended in 1983 because it had, at best, mixed results, and there were concerns about unintended consequences,” Allen said. “Since then, NOAA has done no weather modification.”
Hugh Willoughby, who was involved in Project Stormfury, told PolitiFact, “As far as I know, nobody in the U.S. is undertaking hurricane modification, or even has the capability.” Willoughby is a distinguished research professor at the Florida International University Department of Earth and Environment and formerly directed NOAA’s hurricane research division.
According to the Atlantic Oceanographic & Meteorological Laboratory, Project Cirrus — the project the video cited — was an agreement between General Electric Research Laboratory, the Naval Research Laboratory and U.S. Army Signal Corps to “seed” clouds and fog by dumping dry ice on them and finding out what would happen.
The project focused on a hurricane that struck Florida on Oct. 12, 1947. Miami’s Air Force Hurricane Office designated the storm “King,” a moniker derived from the military’s phonetic alphabet during a period before hurricanes were named as they are now.
The day after the hurricane exited the state and was projected to continue out to sea without affecting any more people, aircraft flew out and dumped dry ice into the hurricane’s clouds. The hurricane soon swerved west and gained strength. It made landfall in Georgia on Oct. 15, 1947, causing one death and millions in damage to Georgia and South Carolina.
The head of General Electric Research Laboratory believed the storm changed course because of the experiment, but the weather bureau chief at the time, Dr. Francis Reichelderfer, disagreed. Willoughby said the Project Stormfury investigators were “very cautious” after what happened with Project Cirrus, “even though it is unlikely that seeding had anything to do with the change in track.”
After Project Cirrus came Project Stormfury, the findings from which showed that “cloud seeding had little prospect of success” and that it was difficult to determine whether the changes happened because of the experiment or because of the hurricanes’ natural behavior.
Willoughby said the project was abandoned because “its scientific basis was discredited.”
We rate the claim that Hurricane Helene was a product of weather modification Pants on Fire!
A viral compilation of stormy video clips featuring a large inflatable duck taking flight has been spreading online as if the footage was filmed during Hurricane Helene, a Category 4 storm that hit Florida’s western Gulf coast Sept. 26.
But these video clips, shared Sept. 25 on Instagram, were not taken during Hurricane Helene — they all predate the storm.
(Screenshot of Instagram post)
This post was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and Threads.) The post was removed from Instagram before this story was published.
We tracked the origins of the 10 separate clips included in the compilation:
The first clip featuring a white building and red pickup truck was taken in Nash County, North Carolina, during a July 2023 hurricane, according to WTVD-TV.
The second clip was taken in Urbandale, Iowa, during a July 2024 tornado, according to local news reports.
The third clip of a flying trampoline in a backyard was taken in July 2021 in Rock Hill, South Carolina, according to a video posted on The Weather Channel website.
And the giant inflatable duck, whose name is Thrifty, blew across a road in Birch Run, Michigan, earlier this year during a heavy windstorm. Before it took flight, the duck belonged to a local antique shop owner who said it cost $3,000.
For the remaining clips, PolitiFact couldn’t verify exactly when and where they were taken, but in all instances we foundversions of the clips that were circulatingonlinebefore Helene made landfall.
Don’t let your timeline get flooded with misinformation; these storm clips are not from Hurricane Helene. We rate this claim False.
PolitiFact Researcher Caryn Baird contributed to this report.
CINCINNATI — As Tropical Storm Helene continues to push northward, southern Ohio is beginning to feel its effects.
Kings Island announced it would be closed Friday night because of the National Weather Service’s forecast of high winds and rain.
“Out of an abundance of caution for the safety of our guests and associates,” the park said in a post on X, formally known as Twitter.
Visitors with an admission ticket for Sept. 27 will be able to use it any other day the park is open through Sunday, Nov. 3.
IMPORTANT PARK UPDATE:
Kings Island – Closed on Friday Night
Due to the National Weather Service’s hazardous weather forecast of high winds and rain this evening, and out of an abundance of caution for the safety of our guests and associates, Kings Island will not open on… pic.twitter.com/VPuL9qI4sr
As Florida braced for Hurricane Helene, some weather and politics observers were mad about Project 2025.
“Reminder that Project 2025 would dismantle the National Weather Service and NOAA,” wrote the League of Conservation Voters on X.
NOAA is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, founded in 1970.
“As Florida prepares for a major hurricane to make landfall this week, don’t forget that Donald Trump’s Project 2025 would eliminate the National Weather Service and NOAA,” Brian Tyler Cohen, a liberal YouTube influencer, posted on Instagram.
“Project 2025 wants to get rid of NOAA, wants to get rid of the National Weather Service — the people that tell you the weather and help you prepare for hurricanes,” said Moskowitz, a past Florida emergency management director under Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla.
Moskowitz quipped about how hurricane forecasting would function under Project 2025 and a Trump administration.
“Maybe we will just do it with a Magic 8 ball or maybe with a Ouija board. Or maybe we will do hurricane cones like President Trump did, right where he just circled in another state that wasn’t in the cones,” Moskowitz said.
Moskowitz’s swipe at Trump referred to a Sharpie-doctored map Trump displayed in 2019, when he falsely said all hurricane models predicted Dorian would hit Alabama. (And Moskowitz wasn’t the first to come up with that Magic 8 ball line.)
Partisan jostling aside, what does Project 2025 say about NOAA and the National Weather Service?
A Moskowitz spokesperson, Keith Nagy, said “while Project 2025 does not call for the complete dismantling of the NOAA, it intends to undermine the agency’s independence from the executive branch and eliminate many of its internal departments. Any threats toward the NOAA or NWS jeopardizes life-saving information about hurricanes, heat waves, and other extreme weather events.”
A NOAA spokesperson declined to comment.
Project 2025 calls for breaking up NOAA, commercializing forecast operations
Project 2025 is the conservative Heritage Foundation’s policy blueprint for a Republican administration. Trump has disavowed it, but it was written by several former Trump administration officials. In 2022, when Trump gave a keynote speech at a Heritage event in Florida, he said the organization would “lay the groundwork and detail plans for exactly what our movement will do.”
Project 2025 includes about four pages on NOAA and the National Weather Service. That part was written by Thomas F. Gilman, who was an official in Trump’s Commerce Department.
The document describes NOAA as a primary component “of the climate change alarm industry” and said it “should be broken up and downsized.”
The National Weather Service, one of six NOAA offices, provides weather and climate forecasts and warnings. The National Hurricane Center is part of the National Weather Service within NOAA.
Project 2025 would not outright end the National Weather Service. It says the agency “should focus on its data-gathering services,” and “should fully commercialize its forecasting operations.”
It said that “commercialization of weather technologies should be prioritized to ensure that taxpayer dollars are invested in the most cost-efficient technologies for high quality research and weather data.” Investing in commercial partners will increase competition, Project 2025 said.
Project 2025 also said the National Weather Service should become a “performance-based organization” held accountable for achieving specific results, even if the head of the agency must “deviate from government rules” to achieve those results.
The document said little about the National Hurricane Center. It said the administration should “review the work of the National Hurricane Center” and that “data collected by the department should be presented neutrally, without adjustments intended to support any one side in the climate debate.”
Experts criticized plans in Project 2025
We asked several experts who are familiar with the NOAA and the National Weather Service’s work about Moskowitz’s statement. They said Project 2025 doesn’t call for the National Weather Service’s termination, but limits its work.
Craig Fugate served as former President Barack Obama’s administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and as then-Florida Gov. Jeb Bush’s emergency management director. He recently served on a federal advisory committee, the Space Weather Advisory Group under NOAA.
“While Project 2025 doesn’t call for the elimination of the NWS, it places restrictions on research, climate products, and potentially limiting access to the NWS forecasters and centers such as the National Hurricane Center,” Fugate said.
Private sector criticism of the National Weather Service isn’t new, Fugate said.
A 2005 bill by then-Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., Fugate said, would have eliminated the free dissemination of weather information provided by the National Weather Service. The bill drew no co-sponsors and foundered.
Rick Thoman, an Alaska climate specialist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, said Project 2025’s vague language made it difficult to assess whether it called for eliminating NOAA and the National Weather Service. But “the intent is clearly to cripple public weather forecasting,” he said.
Thoman cited examples of Project 2025’s vague phrasing on the National Weather Service:
“Should focus on its data-gathering services.” Thoman asked whether that means doing nothing but data gathering. If so, then the weather and climate models produced continuously by the National Weather Service that private companies rely on would go away, he said.
“Should fully commercialize its forecasting operations.” Thoman asked if that means the National Weather Service should charge for forecasts or abandon weather forecasting entirely.
Although Project 2025 seems to push collaboration with the private sector, that already happens. Private entities, including TV forecasters and AccuWeather, use NOAA data, Rachel Cleetus, policy director in the climate and energy program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said. (AccuWeather said it did not support what Project 2025 recommended.)
“The reality is NOAA and the National Weather Service are already working with a lot of commercial partners so it is unclear what exactly is the intention there,” Cleetus said.
She also said dismantling NOAA could render the agency ineffective.
“The idea that it could be broken up and somehow still be able to do this essential work, it won’t be possible,” Cleetus said.
Our ruling
Moskowitz said, “Project 2025 wants to get rid of NOAA” and the National Weather Service.
Project 2025 has a few pages about NOAA and the National Weather Service and some of its phrasing is vague.
But it does call for major changes. It described NOAA as a primary component “of the climate change alarm industry” and said it “should be broken up and downsized.”
It doesn’t explicitly call for getting rid of the National Weather Service, but it says it should “fully commercialize its forecasting operations.”
TAMPA, FL — As Helene moves through our area, we are looking for photos to show during our newscast and on our website/app to help illustrate what the conditions are like across the region.
Here’s what to do:
Take your picture in the horizontal perspective (not vertical).
Please take your photos when you’re in a safe environment. Do not put yourself in harm’s way for a photo.
Please don’t take pictures while driving. (It’s okay if a passenger takes the picture.) Any pictures taken while driving, we don’t show on the air.
If using the form below is not an option, you can post your photos on our Facebook page: Spectrum Bay News 9
Czech authorities erected metal barriers or protective walls from sandbags, while water was released from dams to make space in reservoirs. Residents have been warned to get ready for possible evacuations.
Some public events planned for the weekend have been cancelled at the request of authorities, including soccer matches in the top two leagues.
“We have to be ready for the worst case scenarios,” Prime Minister Petr Fiala said after a meeting of his government’s central crisis committee. “A tough weekend is ahead of us.”
Meteorologists say a low pressure system from northern Italy was predicted to dump much rainfall in most parts of the Czech Republic, or Czechia, including the capital and border regions with Austria and Germany in the south, and Poland in the north.
Central Europeans are especially wary because some experts have compared the weekend forecast to devastating floods in 1997 in the region, referred to by some as the flood of the century.
Over 100 people were killed in the floods 27 years ago, including 50 in the eastern Czech Republic where large sections of land was inundated.
The biggest rainfall was predicted in the eastern half of the country, particularly in the Jeseniky mountains. The second largest city of Brno, located in eastern Czech Republic, is among places that have not had flooding protection work completed, unlike Prague.
Czechs were asked not to go to parks and woods as high winds of up to 100 kilometers (62 miles) per hour were forecast.
In Poland, Prime Minister Donald Tusk traveled on Friday to the southwestern Polish city of Wrocław where floods are forecast. Authorities appealed to residents to stock up on food and to prepare for power outages by charging power banks.
Tusk, meeting with firefighters and other emergency officials, said the forecasts were “not excessively alarming.”
“There is no reason to panic, but there is a reason to be fully mobilized,” he stressed.
The German Weather Service warned of heavy precipitation across swaths of the country, including the Alps, where heavy snowfall and strong winds are expected at higher altitudes.
The Alpine nation of Austria is also getting ready for heavy rains, and a massive cold front that is expected to bring snow to higher elevations.
The weather change arrived following a hot start to September in the region. Scientists have recorded Earth’s hottest summer on record, breaking a record set just one year ago.
HUDSON, Fla. — Going in and out of the former First Baptist Church of Hudson building off Old Dixie Highway, a steady stream of people visited the food pantry Wednesday.
“Have a good weekend, stay out of the storm,” said a volunteer to Teresa Prowell.
Prowell comes to the food pantry to receive a little extra help with groceries and daily supplies. With Hurricane Helene quickly approaching, these food items will be essential, especially if the power goes out for any extended amount of time.
“To make sure I have food and water in case we actually get hit hard,” said Prowell. “Some days life has gotten hard. Prices have gone up.”
She helped load up her car with assistance from a volunteer.
“Water, drinks, canned goods, you know, tuna, stuff like that that you don’t have to cook. In case the electric goes out,” said Prowell.
On a normal Wednesday, the church officials say they usually help around 200 people. With the storm closing in, they said those numbers are slightly down, but the need remains high.
“It is going to be a rough 48 hours, and our pastor will probably open the doors of the other church if necessary,” said Dave Bryant, a retired pastor at First Baptist Church of Hudson.
Bryan said they will make sure each person is taken care of before the end of the day.
“We love doing it,” he said. “Sometimes we go home Wednesdays ready to collapse, but we’re happy and we see happy faces. We get a lot of hugs. We got a lot of thank yous. And so it’s worth it.”
He said he feels blessed to help.
For Prowell, she said having this bit of help alleviate a lot of worry. Her mind is on her home — wondering if it will hold up against the wind, rain and storm surge.
“Just afraid of losing sentimental things, you know?” she said. “And my home needs a lot of work, so hoping my roof stays on.”
CRYSTAL RIVER, Fla. — With the floodwater from two recent hurricanes still fresh in everyone’s minds, both residents and business owners in Crystal River are preparing for would could be a significant storm surge.
In the heart of Crystal River, restaurants and businesses are heeding the warnings and doing their best to board up and add sandbags to help keep the floodwater out.
“If we see 10-15 feet of surge…that’s something this area has never seen before,” she said.
Despite having reinforced doors and flood panels, 2 feet of water inundated her restaurant during Hurricane Idalia. Sundberg had to replace all of her equipment and pull out four feet of the interior wall just to dry everything out. They were closed for 3 months and still haven’t recovered finacially.
“We have flood panels we’ll be installing and we have sandbags and plastic and we’re just doing as much as we can,” she said. “We know 7 1/2 feet made it in here and we’re looking at a substantial increase to that surge, and still expect the unexpected. We’re going to do as much as we can to prepare.”
Emergency officials are asking residents to take the evacuation notice seriously, as rescue crews can’t always get to people in need at the height of a hurricane.
Today’s live coverage has ended. Catch up on what you missed below and find more at apnews.com.
Hurricane Helene left an enormous path of destruction across Florida and the southeastern U.S. on Friday, killing at least 40 people in four states
Here’s where things stand Friday:
Storm tracker: Helene has been downgraded to a tropical depression, according to the latest update from the National Hurricane Center. The storm is slowing down and is expected to stall over the Tennessee Valley through the weekend.
Power outages: Nearly 4 million homes and businesses were without power in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, according to poweroutage.us.
Fatalities: The storm has been blamed for at least 40 deaths, including at least 17 people in South Carolina. State officials say dozens are still trapped in homes damaged by Helene.
Vice President Harris urges residents affected by Helene to heed local officials
Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday urged residents impacted by Hurricane Helene to pay heed to local authorities as the storm continues to wreak havoc on a significant swath of the southeast.
“The storm continues to be dangerous and deadly, and lives have been lost and the risk of flooding still remains high,” Harris said at the start of a campaign speech in Douglas, Arizona. “So, I continue to urge everyone to please continue to follow guidance from your local officials until we get past this moment.”
1 dead in Virginia from a falling tree, governor says
In southwestern Virginia, one person died after a tree fell and a building collapsed in Craig County, Gov. Glenn Youngkin said.
The death toll from Hurricane Helene has reached at least 44 across five states: Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.
Dam near North Carolina-Tennessee border not experiencing ‘catastrophic failure,’ officials say
By KIMBERLEE KRUESI
Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said Friday that a “catastrophic failure” was not taking place at Walters Dam, also known as the Waterville Dam, which sits in North Carolina close to the Tennessee border.
A local mayor had urged residents to evacuate due to the dam potentially breaking, but TEMA said in a statement that the “dam has not failed” after talking to Duke Energy, which owns the nearly 100-year-old dam.
Mother and her two infant twins are among those dead in Georgia
Among people who have died in Georgia are a 27-year-old mother and her two 1-month-old twins, who were killed when trees fell on their house in Thomson, just west of Augusta, said McDuffie County Coroner Paul Johnson.
The coroner said an 89-year-old woman was killed when trees fell on her house elsewhere in the same county.
EVs could catch fire if inundated with saltwater from Hurricane Helene, officials warn
Electric vehicles can catch fire if they are inundated by saltwater, so owners who live in the path of a major storm like Hurricane Helene should take precautions.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been researching this problem since it was first seen after Hurricane Sandy struck the Northeast in 2012. But no one seems to have detailed statistics on just how often this happens.
Two years ago, Hurricane Ian compromised the batteries of as may as 5,000 electric vehicles, and 36 of them caught fire. Several more electric vehicles caught fire in Florida last year after Hurricane Idalia.
It happens often enough that Florida officials were worried about the possibility before Hurricane Helene arrived because they were expecting a potentially devastating storm surge up to 20 feet deep in the northwestern part of Florida.
These fires do seem to be linked specifically to saltwater because salt can conduct electricity. Similar problems haven’t been reported after freshwater flooding in California that was driven by heavy rains early this year.
Weather reporter interrupts live broadcast to help a woman stranded in her car
By JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER
A weather TV reporter in Atlanta interrupted his live report about Hurricane Helene on Friday to rescue a woman from a vehicle stranded by rising floodwaters.
Standing in the rain with the submerged vehicle behind him, Fox reporter Bob Van Dillen described how the woman drove into a flooded area.
In the footage, he said he called 911 and she can be heard screaming as he tries to assure her that help was on the way.
Then, he told the camera, “It’s a situation. We’ll get back to you in a little bit. I’m going to see if I can help this lady out a little bit more you guys.”
The death toll from Hurricane Helene in South Carolina is 19 people, with many of the deaths happening from falling trees as the storm moved through early Friday, authorities said.
In Saluda County, two firefighters were killed when a tree fell on their truck while they were answering a call, the Highway Patrol said.
Five people were killed in Spartanburg County, according to Coroner Rusty Clevenger who planned to release details about the deaths later.
In Greenville County, four people were killed by falling trees, Senior Deputy Coroner Shelton England said.
Four people were also killed in Aiken County by trees falling on homes, including a 78-year-old husband and his 74-year-old wife, Coroner Darryl Ables said.
Two people died in Anderson County when trees fell on their houses, the Coroner’s Office said.
And in Newberry County, a married couple died when their car slid on a wet highway and ran into a tree, Coroner Laura Kneece said.
Helene is the deadliest tropical storm in South Carolina since Hurricane Hugo killed 35 people when it came ashore just north of Charleston in 1989.
The deadliest recent hurricanes to hit the US
Recent major hurricanes that made landfall in the U.S. have left hundreds dead and caused billions of dollars in damages.
Since 2020, not including Helene, there have been seven major destructive hurricanes: Laura, Delta, Zeta, Ida, Ian, Idalia and Beryl.
Hurricane Beryl was the first of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Exceptionally warm ocean temperatures caused it to strengthen into a Category 5 storm rapidly in early July.
When hurricane Beryl hit Texas, it had dropped to a Category 1 storm. Beryl has been blamed for at least 36 deaths. The storm caused an estimated $28 billion to $32 billion in damages, according to AccuWeather’s preliminary estimates.
Rainfall from Helene breaks Atlanta’s 48-hour record
Atlanta received 11.12 inches (28.24 centimeters) of rain in 48 hours, breaking the city’s all-time record since record keeping began in 1878, Georgia’s Office of the State Climatologist said on X.
The previous record of 9.59 inches (24.36 cm) in 48 hours was set in 1886.
Hurricane Helene leaves deeps scars where it made landfall
The windswept beauty of what residents claim is one of Florida’s longest stretches of undeveloped coastline was left deeply scarred after Hurricane Helene crashed ashore in rural Taylor County along the state’s Big Bend.
It’s a part of the state where salt marshes and pine flatwoods stretch unspoiled into the horizon, a region that has largely avoided the crush of condo developments, strip malls and souvenir shops that has carved up so much of Florida’s coastlines. It’s a place where Susan Sauls Hartway and her four-year-old Chihuahua mix Lucy could afford to live within walking distance of the beach on her salary as a housekeeper.
At least until her home was carried away by Helene.
“I knew it would be bad, but I had no idea it was going to be this bad,” she said. “This is unbelievable.”
Friday afternoon, Hartway and Lucy wandered around their street near Ezell Beach, searching for where the storm may have deposited her home.
“It’s gone. I don’t know where it’s at. I can’t find it,” she said.
Born and raised in Taylor County, Hartway said there is nowhere in the world she would rather be, even after Helene. But she’s watched as wealthier residents from out of state have bought up second homes here. She wonders how many of them will sell out — and what will happen to the locals who have nowhere else to go.
“There’s so many people down here, they don’t have any place to go now. This was all they had,” Hartway said. “Some people, they’ll just make do down here. Rough it.”
Insurers could pay $5B to cover losses from Helene
Insurance data provider A.M. Best on Friday estimated that insurers will pay $5 billion or more to cover losses from Hurricane Helene.
That’s not the total amount of loss, some of which is uninsured and some of which may be repaid with federal aid. Instead, it’s the amount that insurance companies are on the hook for.
A.M. Best said insurers paid $2.5 billion to $4 billion in losses for Hurricane Idalia last year, and it expects losses from Helene to be more severe given its broader wind field and a path that hit more urban areas inland.
Curfew issued in western North Carolina community hit hard by Helene
Officials in a western North Carolina town have issued a curfew due to safety risks from flooded streets and downed power lines from what remains of Hurricane Helene.
“It’s very dangerous out there,” Asheville Police Chief Mike Lamb said. “If you don’t have to be out, don’t go out.”
Lamb said the curfew would occur over a 12-hour period starting at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
No fatalities have been reported, although officials said any death count won’t be released until family notifications have been made.
Buncombe County Manager Avril Pinder said hundreds of residents were forced to seek safety at shelters.
The county’s 911 center received more than 3,300 calls over an eight-hour period Friday, and more than 130 swift-water rescues have been conducted, said county Emergency Services Assistant Director Ryan Cole. He said it took crews more than four hours to reach several homes that were hit by a mudslide.
“This is something that we’re going to be dealing with for many days and weeks to come,” Cole said. “So please be patient.”
Former Tropical Storm John dissipates over Mexico
By The Associated Press
Former Tropical Storm John has dissipated over Mexico, but its remnants will continue to produce rain over the Mexican states of Guerrero and Michoacán.
The storm made landfall twice in Mexico, first as a hurricane Monday and a second time as a tropical storm Friday.
Helene downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone
By The Associated Press
The U.S. National Hurricane Center has downgraded Helene from a tropical depression to a post-tropical cyclone.
Helene, a Category 4 hurricane when it made landfall in Florida late Thursday night, was 50 miles (80 kilometers) southeast of Louisville, Kentucky, at about 5 p.m. EDT. It was moving northwest at 17 mph (28 kph), according to the hurricane center.
The storm was expected to continue producing heavy rain in the area and cause severe flash-flooding as a result. Isolated tornadoes Friday evening were possible in Virginia and North Carolina, the hurricane center said.
Thousands ordered to evacuate after ‘catastrophic failure’ of a dam in eastern Tennessee
By JONATHAN MATTISE
In eastern Tennessee, a “catastrophic failure” of Waterville Dam spurred Cocke County Mayor Rob Mathis to hand down evacuation orders for all of downtown Newport, according to the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency. Newport is a city of about 7,000 people roughly 60 miles (97 kilometers) southwest of where dozens of people were being rescued from the roof of a hospital.
Over 1 million customers are still without power in South Carolina
More than 1 million customers remained without power in South Carolina several hours after the remnants of Hurricane Helene left the state and the sun started to come out.
Utility officials warned power could be out for many for a long time. Crews were still assessing the damage and in some cases needed to cut their way through debris just to determine what was left standing.
“You will be frustrated. Tomorrow it’s going to be 86 degrees and clear. You’re going to say ‘Why can’t I watch the football game? Why can’t my life be back to normal?’ Life’s not going to be back to normal until probably the middle of next week,” Dominion Energy South Carolina President Keller Kissam said Friday.
The 1.2 million South Carolina customers without power represent more than 40% of homes and businesses in the state.
Gov. Henry McMaster said the storm moved east of where it was forecast and gave the state a bigger blow than expected.
“We urge everybody to be patient and keep your neighbors in your prayers,” McMaster said.
4 people critically injured after a tornado touches down in North Carolina
Four people were critically injured and numerous others sustained minor injuries after a tornado touched down in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, officials said.
Three buildings received significant damage, including two restaurants and an auto service center, while a fourth building, a cafeteria, received minor roof damage, Nash County Communications Director Jonathan Edwards said Friday.
The damage appeared to be concentrated on Wesleyan Boulevard and Tiffany Boulevard. An 18-wheel tractor-trailer truck also flipped over in that area, but the driver was not hurt, Edwards said.
Death toll in Georgia rises to 15
At least 15 people have died in Georgia from causes related to Hurricane Helene, according to Garrison Douglas, a spokesperson for Gov. Brian Kemp.
‘The word that just keeps coming to my mind is just devastated’
Taylor County, Florida has had a rough couple of years.
Since August of 2023, the rural community along Florida’s Big Bend has taken direct hits from three hurricanes — and seen the closure of its local paper mill, which for decades had been one of the economic lifelines for a county where one in six residents lives below the poverty line.
“The word that just keeps coming to my mind is just devastated,” said Aaron Portwood, publisher of Perry Newspapers, which is based in the county seat of Perry. “You get hit with one thing. And you think, ‘This is bad’. And you recover from that. And then another one hits, and you’re like, ‘ok that stings’. But after about four or five, it starts to feel pretty overwhelming.”
Portwood’s house in Dekle Beach on the county’s long undeveloped coastline was gutted by Hurricane Helene, though the structure still stands. Beyond his own home, Portwood said he’s worried about the future of this county that is steadily having its tax base wiped off the map.
2 firefighters killed in South Carolina were struck by a tree
Two firefighters killed during Hurricane Helene in South Carolina were struck by a tree, authorities said.
The tree hit their firetruck around 6:30 a.m. Friday about 4 miles (6 kilometers) west of Batesburg-Leesville, South Carolina Highway Patrol Cpl. David Jones said.
The Saluda County Coroner’s Office has not released the names of the firefighters.
At least 17 people have been killed in South Carolina as Hurricane Helene tore through the western part of the state.
A mudslide and floodwaters wash out interstate at the North Carolina-Tennessee state line
A mudslide and record floodwaters from the remnants of Hurricane Helene washed out a section of an interstate highway at the North Carolina-Tennessee state line, transportation officials said.
Photos and video posted on social media showed at least one lane of I-40 had collapsed above the swollen Pigeon River.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation said the interstate was closed in both directions.
The National Weather Service said a flash flood warning continued for the Pigeon River, which crested Friday morning about 3 feet (1 meter) above its previous record level set by the remnants of Hurricane Ivan in September 2004.
Georgia Power to make an emergency water release from a dam near Lake Rabun
Georgia Power Co. is making an emergency release of water from a northeast Georgia dam following heavy rains from Hurricane Helene.
Georgia Emergency Management Director Chris Stallings said no residents who live near Lake Rabun in the state’s mountainous northeast corner were in danger of being flooded. But he said the water release would likely flood roads and bridges that some residents use to access their homes.
“If they don’t leave now, they’re going to be stuck there for at least a day or multiple hours,” Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp told reporters at a morning news briefing. The dam is the third in a series owned by Georgia Power along the Tallulah River, which cuts a deep gorge through part of the area.
“We’ve got to get water out so it doesn’t cause dam failure,” Stallings said. He was unable to say how long the water release would last, saying that would be up to technical experts.
Georgia Power didn’t immediately respond to phone calls, emails and texts seeking information.
Dozens rescued by helicopter from a flooded Tennessee hospital inundated by Helene
By Jonathan Matisse
Dozens of people were being rescued by helicopter from a flooded Tennessee hospital inundated by Helene.
Some 54 people were moved to the roof of the Unicoi County Hospital while water rapidly flooded the facility, according to Ballad Health.
The company said on social media that county officials had ordered an evacuation of the hospital Friday morning due to rising water in the Nolichucky River, including 11 patients.
Boats ordered up by the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency were unable to safely evacuate the hospital, which was taking on flood water, the company said.
As of midday, Ballad reported that an additional seven people remained in rescue boats as the hospital was engulfed by “extremely dangerous and rapidly moving water.”
Tornado damages businesses in North Carolina
A tornado was confirmed Friday in northern Rocky Mount, North Carolina, along U.S. Route 301, city communications specialist Robin Cox said.
There was damage to businesses in the area, but the city did not yet confirm if there were any injuries. Cox said there were emergency workers on the scene as of 2:30 p.m.
DeSantis: ‘We are going to bounce back’
By MICHAEL SCHNEIDER
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Friday that even communities hardest hit by Hurricane Helene would get back on their feet, though it won’t happen overnight.
The governor said it’s extremely difficult when someone loses a home with photos and family keepsakes that don’t have a dollar value. But he vowed, “We are going to bounce back.”
“It’s tough and we understand that. We also understand that this is a resilient state,” DeSantis said at a news conference in storm-damaged St. Pete Beach, not far from where he grew up in Dunedin, Florida.
“We’re going to get people back on their feet,” DeSantis said. “It’s not easy to go through this. It’s not going to be easy in the immediate future, but there’s going to be a light at the end of the tunnel.”
Tropical Storm John hits Mexico’s Pacific coast a 2nd time
By The Associated Press
Tropical Storm John made its second landfall along Mexico’s Pacific coast Friday, while in its wake authorities in the resort city of Acapulco called for help from anyone with a boat to deal with the flooding.
John came ashore near Tizupan in Michoacan state with sustained winds of 45 mph (75 kmh) after making its initial landfall farther east on the coast on Monday as a Category 3 hurricane.
It blew tin roofs off houses, triggered mudslides and toppled scores of trees. After weakening inland, it reemerged over the ocean, reforming as a tropical storm Wednesday and eventually regaining hurricane strength.
At least eight people have died as a result of the storm.
At least 17 people have died in South Carolina
At least 17 people have died after Hurricane Helene moved across South Carolina overnight Friday.
The dead included two firefighters responding to calls in Saluda County, Gov. Henry McMaster said at a Friday news conference.
Two additional deaths were reported in Newberry County, according to McMaster, who didn’t provide details.
Coroners reported 13 other deaths — four in Greenville County, four in Aiken County, three in Spartanburg County and two in Anderson County.
“We’re asking keep all of those families and friends in your prayers,” McMaster said.
The death toll from Hurricane Helene has reached at least 30 across 4 states
By The Associated Press
The death toll from Hurricane Helene has reached at least 30 across four states.
According to an Associated Press tally Friday, the deaths occurred in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
‘Dangerous rescue situation’ unfolding at a northeast Tennessee hospital
By Jonathan Matisse
A “dangerous rescue situation” was unfolding in northeast Tennessee on Friday as 54 people were moved to the roof of the Unicoi County Hospital while water rapidly flooded the facility, according to Ballad Health.
The company said on social media that county officials ordered an evacuation of the hospital Friday morning due to rising water in the Nolichucky River, including 11 patients.
Boats ordered up by the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency were unable to safely evacuate the hospital, which was taking on flood water, the company said.
As of midday, Ballad reported that 54 people were relocated to the roof and seven remained in rescue boats as the hospital was engulfed by “extremely dangerous and rapidly moving water.”
“The situation at the hospital is very dangerous and TEMA and National Guard resources are engaged in what can only be described as a dangerous rescue operation,” Ballad wrote, asking for prayers.
Death toll in South Carolina rises to 13
Four people were killed overnight by falling trees in Greenville County, bringing the death toll in Hurricane Helene to 13 in South Carolina.
Greenville County Senior Deputy Coroner Shelton England confirmed the deaths Friday afternoon. He said more information would be released later.
During the storm four people were killed in Aiken County, three people in Spartanburg County and two people in Anderson County, authorities said.
Some bridge lanes connecting Florida barrier island communities reopen
By MICHAEL SCHNEIDER
Some bridge lanes connecting barrier island communities on Florida’s Gulf Coast started reopening on Friday.
The northbound lanes of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge connecting the St. Petersburg area to the Bradenton area were opened Friday afternoon, though southbound lanes remained closed for cleaning up debris and assessing damage, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.
Southbound lanes of the Howard Frankland Bridge connecting the Tampa area with the St. Petersburg area also were opened to traffic, while northbound lanes were still being inspected and cleared of debris.
The Courtney Campbell Causeway connecting Hillsborough and Pinellas counties remained closed because of debris.
The bridge “took on heavy debris, washout, and roadway damage,” the agency said in a statement. “Bridge inspectors and maintenance clean-up crews are still on-site doing their best to clear the roadway and open it back up to motorists.”
Helene downgraded to a tropical depression
By The Associated Press
Tropical Storm Helene was downgraded to a tropical depression by forecasters on Friday afternoon.
The storm was located about 125 miles (201 km) southeast of Louisville, Kentucky, and was moving toward the north-northwest at about 28 mph (44 kph). The center said the storm was forecast to stall over the Tennessee Valley Friday night and through the weekend. Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 35 mph (55 km/h) with higher gusts.
Forecasters said Helene was expected to become extratropical later in the day.
A map shows the Friday afternoon rainfall outlook for Tropical Storm Helene (NOAA).
North Carolina dam overtopped is not expected to fail, officials say
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
People living on about 30 streets in a western North Carolina county were ordered Friday to evacuate as water from Tropical Storm Helene overtopped the entire length of a dam in a town best known for the 1980’s movie “Dirty Dancing.”
There is no indication, however, that the Lake Lure Dam is about to fail, state Department of Environmental Quality spokesperson Kat Russell said Friday.
Russell didn’t know how many people lived on the 29 streets within what she called the dam inundation area within Rutherford County, where Lake Lure and the town of the same name are located about 30 miles (48 kilometers) southeast of Asheville.
The lake flows into the Broad River and was created nearly 100 years ago. The dam is listed as 480 feet (146 meters) long and about 120 feet (36.6 meters) high.
Russell said there is some erosion on one side of the dam caused by the overtopping. Town officials are monitoring it, she said.
Downstream communities have been made aware of the overtopping but have been told they would have several hours to alert residents to their own evacuations if needed, Russell said. The North Carolina and South Carolina state agencies also have received emergency action plans if conditions worsen.
Waters in the iconic lake used to film scenes for the movie “Dirty Dancing,” transforming Lake Lure into upstate New York’s Catskill Mountains.
Helene severely damaged Georgia’s utility infrastructure, electrical group says
An electrical utility group is warning of “catastrophic” damage to Georgia’s utility infrastructure by Hurricane Helene.
The Georgia Electric Membership Corp., which represents the state’s electric cooperatives, says that the hurricane damaged more than 100 high-voltage transmission lines and that more than 60 substations were out of service Friday morning.
A down tree and power lines seen along Margret Mitchell Drive in the Buckhead area, Friday, Sept 27, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)
Without transmission lines and substations, the cooperatives can’t feed electricity to homes and businesses. The group warned Friday that “there will be extensive delays in total restoration” and told customers, especially those who rely on electric power for medical needs, to make temporary arrangements.
Of the more than 1 million Georgia electricity customers without power on Friday afternoon, more than 400,000 were customers of cooperatives. Restoration for customers of those utilities in rural areas can take much longer because customers are far apart.
Death toll in South Carolina rises to 9
At least nine people have died in South Carolina from the winds and rains of Hurricane Helene, authorities said.
Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger reported three deaths happened Friday morning. He did not release additional details.
Four deaths have already been reported in Aiken County and two deaths in Anderson County.
Rain from Helene has helped reduce autumn forest fire risks in West Virginia, governor says
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice was thankful Friday that several days of rain, including Friday’s arrival of the remnants from Hurricane Helene, helped reduce the risk of autumn forest fires during an exceptional drought in much of the state.
“I’m tickled to death that we finally have gotten this amount of rainfall,” Justice said during his weekly news briefing. “This will surely, surely assist us in many, many ways in regard to this terrible potential that we had for forest fires.”
Hurricane Ian remembrance event canceled in Fort Meyers Beach
The town of Fort Myers Beach has canceled its Hurricane Ian Remembrance and Resiliency Ceremony due to cleanup efforts from Hurricane Helene.
In a post on the social platform X, the town said it had to cancel the ceremony and did not say if it would be rescheduled. The town planned the ceremony for Saturday morning to mark when Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida.
A residential street near the Chattahoochee River is completely flooded
A residential street near the Chattahoochee River in Atlanta and the parking lot of a shopping center across the street is completely flooded. Flooding in the area is expected to get worse.
John Swalm, 17, lives part-time with his dad whose house is on the flooded street. His dad is not in the state and his house is on stilts, but Swalm anticipates “devastating” damage to the house’s yard and wooden patio.
He also believes his dad’s cars are submerged and his kayaks have floated away.
Rainfall in parts of the Carolinas and Tennessee reached at least half a foot
By HANNAH FINGERHUT
Preliminary data shows rainfall in parts of northwest South Carolina, southwest North Carolina and southeast Tennessee reached at least half a foot between Tuesday and Friday, according to the National Weather Service office for Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Some parts of the region saw more than a foot of rain.
Widespread airport delays and cancellations persist
Even as Helene’s wind and rain move northward, air travel snarls remain at many airports in the southeast.
The airport in Charlotte, North Carolina, a major hub for American Airlines, saw nearly 400 inbound and outbound flights canceled through 1 p.m. Thursday, with another 500 inbound and outbound flights delayed, according to flight tracking software FlightAware. That’s nearly half of all flights to the airport.
The larger Atlanta Airport saw nearly 200 inbound and outbound flights canceled, while more than 400 were delayed. That’s nearly a quarter of all the flights at that airport.
Problems also lingered at airports in Florida including in Tampa, Tallahassee and Jacksonville, while smaller airports in Asheville, North Carolina and Augusta, Georgia saw a majority of flights canceled.
Water rescues underway in Morristown, Tennessee
By Jonathan Matisse
The National Weather Service in Morristown, Tennessee, said late Friday morning that several water rescues and evacuations were happening near the mountains in the northeastern part of the state, with thousands of trees down in the area.
Local officials had ordered people in locations such as Embreeville and Roan Mountain to evacuate.
WATCH: Florida resident gives tour of devastated, flattened Cedar Key
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
A Florida resident provided a devastating first-hand look at hard-hit Cedar Key Friday morning after parts of the town were flattened by Hurricane Helene.
5 people have died in Pinellas County after disregarding evacuation warnings
Five people have died in Pinellas County in Florida after Helene blew through the area overnight, county officials said Friday.
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said the deaths all occurred in neighborhoods where residents were told by authorities to evacuate, but many chose to stay and then found themselves trapped by 8 feet of storm surge — an unprecedented event in the county.
Debris cover the street in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene at Harbor Lights Club mobile home park in Pinellas County, Fla., Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (Tampa Bay Times via AP)
Gualtieri said survivors told them they didn’t believe the warnings after other residents told them the surge wouldn’t be that bad. He said people wound up hiding in their attics to get away from the water.
“We made our case, we told people what they needed to do and they chose otherwise,” Gualtieri said. He added that his deputies tried overnight to reach those who had been trapped, but it just wasn’t safe.
“I was out there personally. We tried to launch boats, we tried to use high-water vehicles and we just met with too many obstacles,” Gualtieri said. He said the death toll could rise as emergency crews go door-to-door in the flooded areas to see if anyone remains.
At least 6 people have died in South Carolina
At least six people died in South Carolina as Hurricane Helene tore through the western part of the state early Friday.
Four people died overnight in Aiken County, said Coroner Darryl Ables who planned to release more details later.
In Anderson County, the coroner’s office said two people were killed when trees fell on houses.
The storm brought wind gusts to near hurricane force across much of the state west of Columbia. At the storm’s peak, power was out for 45% of the 2.9 million homes and businesses in the state.
Nearly everyone was without power right after the storm passed through in several counties, including Greenville and Spartanburg where more than 900,000 people live.
Utilities companies urged patience, saying it could take at least days to restore power.
Multiple people are trapped in 115 heavily damaged buildings in Valdosta
By HANNAH FINGERHUT
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp gave staggering numbers to describe the early damage from Helene Friday morning:
1 million meters without power
1,300 traffic signals out of commission
1,100 people in shelters across the state
152 road closures and 2 interstate closures
In one south central city, Valdosta, 115 buildings were heavily damaged with multiple people trapped inside. One shelter temporarily housing Georgians lost its roof. A tree fell on one hospital’s generator, cutting the facility’s power.
App State cancels football game against Liberty in North Carolina due to Helene
By The Associated Press
Appalachian State’s home football game against Liberty in Boone, North Carolina, scheduled for Saturday has been canceled due to severe weather in the area from Tropical Storm Helene, the school announced Friday.
Heavy rains in the North Carolina mountains brought flooding to Boone and the town was placed under a state of emergency Thursday.
The nonconference game was scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. EDT kickoff and will not be rescheduled, the school said.
App State also canceled a home field hockey game against Bellarmine that was slated for Friday.
Tropical Storm John is causing severe flooding along Mexico’s Pacific coast
By The Associated Press
Tropical Storm John has caused a total of eight deaths in southern Mexico, and five days of heavy rains have generated severe flooding and mudslides in the Pacific coast resort of Acapulco.
John, in its second incarnation, was lingering off the Pacific coast just short of a second landfall early Friday. It hit further east on the coast Monday as a Category 3 hurricane.
The flooding is so bad in Acapulco — which still hasn’t recovered from Hurricane Otis last October — that the head of the municipal civil defense agency said authorities were starting to use boats inside the city to rescue people from low-lying neighborhoods. Residents posted videos and photos of cars floating away in floodwaters, and people rescued from raging waters using lifelines.
“We are getting boats to start carrying out more effective evacuations,” Efrén Valdez, civil protection coordinator for Acapulco, told the Milenio Television station. “The situation is very complicated.”
Several Ballad Health facilities closed across multiple states
By JONATHAN MATTISE
In northeast Tennessee, Unicoi County Hospital was closed Friday due to the weather and its 11 patients were being moved to other hospitals, according to parent company Ballad Health. The company urged people who need care to go to the nearest hospital or call 911.
Meanwhile, every Ballad Health facility postponed all elective surgeries, including those in southwest Virginia, northwest North Carolina and southeast Kentucky. Some of its clinics and urgent care offices were also closed.
Atlanta firefighters rescue a half-dozen people in Hanover West
Atlanta Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Ronald Slatton said rescue efforts Friday morning helped about half a dozen people who didn’t feel safe in their homes in Hanover West, a neighborhood in north Atlanta. A creek behind some of the residences had risen to about four or five feet, he said.
“We’re just here standing by if they need us,” he said of his expectations for the rest of the day.
Shattered storefronts and mangled awnings dot downtown Valdosta
In downtown Valdosta, Georgia, Hurricane Helene ripped the sheet metal roof from a large brick building that houses a furniture and antiques store and blew out the back wall. Bricks, plywood and twisted metal covered the grass outside, exposing old lamps, cabinets and other knickknacks in the store’s inventory.
Many shops and businesses along the tree limb-covered sidewalks of the downtown area appeared unscathed. But a few had shattered storefront windows and mangled awnings.
Electricity was out across the city and traffic moved slowly on many roads, with stoplights blacked out and trees blocking several streets.
WASHINGTON — Human-caused climate change doubled the likelihood and intensified the heavy rains that led to devastating flooding in Central Europe earlier this month, a new flash study found.
Torrential rain in mid-September from Storm Boris pummeled a large part of central Europe, including Romania, Poland, Czechia, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia and Germany, and caused widespread damage. The floods killed 24 people, damaged bridges, submerged cars, left towns without power and in need of significant infrastructure repairs.
The severe four-day rainfall was “by far” the heaviest ever recorded in Central Europe and twice as likely because of warming from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas, World Weather Attribution, a collection of scientists that run rapid climate attribution studies, said Wednesday from Europe. Climate change also made the rains between 7% and 20% more intense, the study found.
“Yet again, these floods highlight the devastating results of fossil fuel-driven warming,” said Joyce Kimutai, the study’s lead author and a climate researcher at Imperial College, London.
To test the influence of human-caused climate change, the team of scientists analyzed weather data and used climate models to compare how such events have changed since cooler preindustrial times to today. Such models simulate a world without the current 1.3 degrees Celsius (2.3 degrees Fahrenheit) of global warming since preindustrial times, and see how likely a rainfall event that severe would be in such a world.
The study analyzed four-day rainfall events, focusing on the countries that felt severe impacts.
Though the rapid study hasn’t been peer-reviewed, it follows scientifically accepted techniques.
“In any climate, you would expect to occasionally see records broken,” said Friederike Otto, an Imperial College, London, climate scientist who coordinates the attribution study team. But, “to see records being broken by such large margins, that is really the fingerprint of climate change. And that is only something that we see in a warming world.”
Some of the most severe impacts were felt in the Polish-Czech border region and Austria, mainly in urban areas along major rivers. The study noted that the death toll from this month’s flooding was considerably lower than during catastrophic floods in the region in 1997 and 2002. Still, infrastructure and emergency management systems were overwhelmed in many cases and will require billions of euros to fix.
Last week, European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen pledged billions of euros in aid for countries that suffered damage to infrastructure and housing from the floods.
The World Weather Attribution study also warned that in a world with even more warming — specifically 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) of warming since preindustrial times, the likelihood of ferocious four-day storms would grow by 50% compared to current levels. Such storms would grow in intensity, too, the authors found.
The heavy rainfall across Central Europe was caused by what’s known as a “Vb depression” that forms when cold polar air flows from the north over the Alps and meets warm air from Southern Europe. The study’s authors found no observable change in the number of similar Vb depressions since the 1950s.
The World Weather Attribution group launched in 2015 largely due to frustration that it took so long to determine whether climate change was behind an extreme weather event. Studies like theirs, within attribution science, use real-world weather observations and computer modeling to determine the likelihood of a particular happening before and after climate change, and whether global warming affected its intensity.
The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
Our Spectrum Bay News 9 Weather Experts have broken down, by county, what to watch for as Helene gets closer to landfall. For the latest forecast updates, you can check here.
Citrus
Hurricane Watch (Peak Winds: until midnight Thursday night)
Winds: 60 mph, gusts to 80 mph
Flood Watch (until 8 am)
Rainfall: 3-6 inches, locally higher amounts possible
Storm Surge Watch
The potential for up to 6-10 feet above mean high tide within surge prone areas
Hernando
Hurricane watch (Peak Winds: until 11 pm Thursday)
Winds: 60 mph, gusts to 80, weaker inland
Flood Watch (until 8 am Friday)
Rainfall: 3-6 inches, locally higher amounts possible
Storm Surge Watch
The potential for up to 6-10 feet above mean high tide within surge prone areas
Pasco
Hurricane Watch (Peak Winds: until 10 pm Thursday)
Winds: 60 mph, gusts to 80, lower inland
Flood Watch (until 8 am)
Rainfall: 3-6 inches, locally higher amounts possible
Storm Surge Watch
The potential for up to 6-10 feet above mean high tide within surge prone areas
Pinellas
Hurricane Watch (Peak Winds: until 9 pm Thursday)
Winds: 60 mph, gusts to 80
Flood Watch (until 8 am Friday)
Rainfall: 3-6 inches, locally higher amounts possible
Storm Surge Watch
The potential for up to 4-7 feet above mean high tide within surge prone areas
Rainfall: 3-6 inches, locally higher amounts possible
Storm Surge Watch
The potential for up to 3-6 feet above mean high tide within surge prone areas
Polk
Tropical Storm Watch (Peak Winds: until 9 pm Thursday)
Winds: 35 mph, gusts to 50
Flood Watch (until 8 am Friday)
Rainfall: 2-4 inches, locally higher amounts possible
Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.
TAMPA, Fla. — As Tampa Bay braces for the upcoming storm, evacuation shelters will be open to help residents stay safe.
View the shelter locations below:
Citrus County
Mandatory evacuation: Those living within Evacuation Zone A or any structure countywide not capable of withstanding tropical storm force winds or greater: Takes effect Wednesday, September 25, 2 p.m.
Also, after today’s policy meeting at the Emergency Operations Center, the Sheriff’s Office has decided to open shelters starting Wednesday, September 25th at 2pm.
Because some of our schools are used as hurricane shelters, this means that all schools will be closed after our scheduled half-day on Wednesday, September 25th.
Many factors are considered when the Emergency Operations Center activates shelters, and our school district plays a vital role in the EOC’s response.
The Special Needs Program identifies a person’s disability, plus the special equipment or specific assistance needed during an evacuation. This includes transportation to a family member’s or friend’s house (within the county) or to the Special Needs Shelter, if you have no other sheltering option.
For more information, call the Florida Department of Health in Citrus County at 352-527-0068.
Pasco County
The Pasco Board of County Commissioners has issued a Local State of Emergency for Pasco County ahead of Tropical Storm Helene.
Mandatory evacuations will go into effect Wednesday, September 25, at 9:00 a.m. for the following:
• Evacuation Zone A
• Everyone living in a manufactured home, mobile home or RV anywhere in Pasco
• Everyone in low-lying areas or areas prone to flooding
• Everyone in an area ordered evacuated by local authorities due to life-safety hazards Voluntary evacuations will go into effect Wednesday, September 25, at 9:00 a.m. for the following:
• Evacuation Zones B and C
• Everyone registered with Pasco as a Special Needs Resident
• Everyone who would be vulnerable in the event of a power loss
Pasco County is also opening shelters Wednesday, September 25 for anyone who needs to leave their home ahead of the storm and has nowhere else to stay. To see a full list of shelters, click here. Pasco County’s Customer Service Center is open until 5 p.m. Tuesday and will be open 24 hours beginning Wednesday at 7 a.m. Call 727.847.2411 or chat with us online at MyPasco.net. Call 911 if you need emergency assistance. Pasco County is posting storm updates on our social media pages and our website: MyPasco.net
In response to the impending storm expected to impact the county on Thursday, Pasco County Emergency Management has requested the use of five schools as emergency shelters. Consequently, the following updates on school closures and activities have been announced:
Wednesday, September 25, 2024:
Schools will open as planned.
All after-school activities and events are canceled for shelter and storm preparation.
ASEP/PLACE activities will continue as usual.
Hernando County
Hernando County Emergency Management continues to monitor Tropical Storm Helene. Mandatory evacuation orders have been announced beginning Wednesday, September 25, 2024 at 8am.
Mandatory Evacuations have been issued for all areas west of US 19, which includes evacuation zones A, B, and C. All residents living in coastal and low-lying areas, as well as manufactured homes county wide, are included.
Shelters should be utilized as a last resort. Residents are advised to seek shelter with family or friends that reside in a safe structure. If this is not a possibility, a public shelter will open at 8am on Wednesday, September 25, 2024 at the below address.
*If you are needing the Special Needs Shelter and have a pet, transportation from either your house or shelter location for your pet is done through Animal Control with Hernando County Sheriff’s Office. Please call Hernando County Public Information Center (PIC) at 352-754-4083 to arrange pick up. The PIC is open.
Pet Friendly Shelter Tips
Citizens and their animals are housed in separate sections of the designated shelter(s). If you need to seek shelter with your pet during a declared emergency the following list will help you be prepared:
Bring your own appropriately sized crate (County resources are limited)
Bring all your dogs required medications
Bring several days’ worth of your animals’ food
Ensure your dog is current on all vaccinations
Bring your own leash and collar. Ensure your dog is trained to walk on a leash
Bring any toys and/or bedding that will make your animal comfortable
If your animal is fearful or shy, bring sheets to cover the crate while still allowing airflow
If you bring a crate place something unique on it to distinguish it from others
Understand that your animal will not be housed in the same section as you; however, you will have access to your animal and are still responsible for their care
Do not buy different snacks or food for the animal that they are not accustomed to, this will often cause the animals to have digestive issues; particularly when they are already stressed
If your animal has any propensity to bite animals or humans, please obtain and utilize a muzzle
Bring spray cleaner, paper towels etc., to be able to clean your animal’s crate
Visit www.HernandoCounty.us/EM for tips on what to bring to a shelter and tips for bringing your pet to a pet friendly shelter. Hernando County Government’s Office of Emergency Management continues to monitor and inform our community about storm impacts. Visit the following web and social media sites for more information.
For the latest local conditions and a complete list of news alerts go to www.HernandoCounty.us/EM
Evacuations: As of 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Pinellas County has only issued mandatory evacuations for healthcare and long-term care facilities located in Zone A. Residents are urged to continue monitoring the storm at disaster.pinellas.gov and through local news sources.
City of St. Petersburg Closures – All City facilities will be closed on Wednesday, Sept. 25, and Thursday, Sept. 26, including Sunken Gardens. – The St. Pete Pier will close at 2 p.m. tomorrow. Patrons should check with individual restaurants for operating hours. – Residential trash and recycling will not be picked up on Thursday, Sept. 26. Thursday pickups for both residential and recycling will be collected on Saturday, Sept. 28. – Please secure all cans when doing storm preparations. – Brush sites will be open Wednesday, but will be closed Thursday. The City plans on business as usual on Friday, but please check City social media for real-time updates. – The Code Enforcement Board Meeting is cancelled for Wednesday, Sept. 25. – All City Council Meetings and Committee Meetings are cancelled for Thursday, Sept. 26.
In a statement, the county said: “Pinellas County has not yet ordered evacuations for residents. However, we have started mandatory evacuations for our long-term care facilities, assisted living facilities and hospitals in Evacuation Zone A. We are coordinating directly with these facilities to make sure our most vulnerable residents have time to relocate to safety in the event we get severe impacts from the storm.”
Polk County
Know Your Evacuation Zones:
Track the storm and get weather alerts by downloading our Spectrum News app.
Hurricane John struck Mexico’s southern Pacific coast Monday night with fierce winds and heavy rainfall after strengthening from tropical storm to major hurricane in a matter of hours.John’s rapid intensification caught authorities off guard as they scrambled to update their guidance to residents and keep pace with the stronger storm.Video above: Tracking the Tropics: Helene forecast to grow in the Caribbean Tuesday and hit Florida by ThursdayIt hit land as a Category 3 hurricane, pummeling a tourist hub of the country’s Oaxaca state with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (190 kph).Shortly before the hurricane hit, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said “life-threatening” and storm surges and flash floods were already ravaging the Pacific coast near Oaxaca. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and other authorities urged people to take shelter.“Seek higher ground, protect yourselves and do not forget that life is the most important thing; material things can be replaced. We are here,” López Obrador wrote on the social media platform X.John hit land near the town of Punta Maldonado and was also likely to batter nearby tourist hubs Acapulco and Puerto Escondido before weakening inland.The unexpected surge in strength caught scientists, authorities and residents of the area by surprise, something AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Matt Benz attributed to warmer oceans, which add fuel to the hurricanes.As a result, surprise surges in hurricanes’ strength have become increasingly common, Benz said.“These are storms that we haven’t really experienced before,” he said. “Rapid intensification has occurred more frequently in modern times as opposed to back in the historical record. So that’s telling us there’s something going on there.”Residents were tense in Oaxaca’s coastal cities as the forecast shifted and authorities responded.Laura Velázquez, the federal coordinator of civil protection, told residents of Pacific coastal cities they should evacuate their homes and head to shelters in order to “protect theirs and their family’s lives.”“It’s very important that all citizens in the coastal zone … take preventive measures,” Velázquez said.Ana Aldai, a 33-year-old employee of a restaurant on the shores of the tourist hub Puerto Escondido, said businesses in the area began closing after authorities ordered the suspension of all work on the area’s main beaches.The governments of Guerrero and Oaxaca states said classes would be suspended in a number of coastal zones on Tuesday.Oaxaca’s governor said the state government had evacuated 3,000 people and set up 80 shelters. It also said it sent out 1,000 military and state personnel to address the emergency.Videos on social media from Puerto Escondido showed flip-flop-clad tourists walking through heavy rain and fishermen pulling their boats out of the water. Strong rains in previous days have already left some roads in the region in a precarious position.Aldai said she was “a little bit distressed” because notice from authorities came quickly. “There was no opportunity to make the necessary purchases. That also distresses us,” she said.Benz, the meteorologist, expressed concern that the storm could slow once it hits land, leaving the storm hovering over the coastal zone, which could cause even greater damage.The hurricane is bleak news for the region, which last year was walloped by Otis, a similar rapidly intensifying hurricane.Otis devastated the resort city of Acapulco, where residents had little warning of the strength of what was about to hit them. One of the most rapidly intensifying hurricanes ever seen, scientists at the time said it was a product of changing climate conditions.Otis blew out power in the city for days, left bodies scattered on the coast and desperate family members searching for lost loved ones. Much of the city was left in a state of lawlessness and thousands scavenged in stores, scrambled for food and water.The government of López Obrador received harsh criticism for its slow response to Otis, but authorities have since pledged to pick up their speed.President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum said her government planned to work on improving an early alert system, similar to what the country has with earthquakes.Through Thursday, John is expected to produce 15 to 30 centimeters (6 to 12 inches) of rain across coastal areas of Chiapas state with more in isolated areas. In areas along and near the Oaxaca coast to southeast Guerrero, between 25 and 50 centimeters (10 and 20 inches) of rain with isolated higher totals can be expected through Thursday.“You’re going to feel the impacts of the storm probably for the next couple of weeks to a couple of months,” meteorologist Benz added.
PUERTO ESCONDIDO, Oax. —
Hurricane John struck Mexico’s southern Pacific coast Monday night with fierce winds and heavy rainfall after strengthening from tropical storm to major hurricane in a matter of hours.
John’s rapid intensification caught authorities off guard as they scrambled to update their guidance to residents and keep pace with the stronger storm.
Video above: Tracking the Tropics: Helene forecast to grow in the Caribbean Tuesday and hit Florida by Thursday
It hit land as a Category 3 hurricane, pummeling a tourist hub of the country’s Oaxaca state with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (190 kph).
Shortly before the hurricane hit, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said “life-threatening” and storm surges and flash floods were already ravaging the Pacific coast near Oaxaca. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and other authorities urged people to take shelter.
“Seek higher ground, protect yourselves and do not forget that life is the most important thing; material things can be replaced. We are here,” López Obrador wrote on the social media platform X.
John hit land near the town of Punta Maldonado and was also likely to batter nearby tourist hubs Acapulco and Puerto Escondido before weakening inland.
The unexpected surge in strength caught scientists, authorities and residents of the area by surprise, something AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Matt Benz attributed to warmer oceans, which add fuel to the hurricanes.
As a result, surprise surges in hurricanes’ strength have become increasingly common, Benz said.
“These are storms that we haven’t really experienced before,” he said. “Rapid intensification has occurred more frequently in modern times as opposed to back in the historical record. So that’s telling us there’s something going on there.”
Residents were tense in Oaxaca’s coastal cities as the forecast shifted and authorities responded.
Laura Velázquez, the federal coordinator of civil protection, told residents of Pacific coastal cities they should evacuate their homes and head to shelters in order to “protect theirs and their family’s lives.”
“It’s very important that all citizens in the coastal zone … take preventive measures,” Velázquez said.
Ana Aldai, a 33-year-old employee of a restaurant on the shores of the tourist hub Puerto Escondido, said businesses in the area began closing after authorities ordered the suspension of all work on the area’s main beaches.
The governments of Guerrero and Oaxaca states said classes would be suspended in a number of coastal zones on Tuesday.
Oaxaca’s governor said the state government had evacuated 3,000 people and set up 80 shelters. It also said it sent out 1,000 military and state personnel to address the emergency.
Videos on social media from Puerto Escondido showed flip-flop-clad tourists walking through heavy rain and fishermen pulling their boats out of the water. Strong rains in previous days have already left some roads in the region in a precarious position.
Aldai said she was “a little bit distressed” because notice from authorities came quickly. “There was no opportunity to make the necessary purchases. That also distresses us,” she said.
Benz, the meteorologist, expressed concern that the storm could slow once it hits land, leaving the storm hovering over the coastal zone, which could cause even greater damage.
The hurricane is bleak news for the region, which last year was walloped by Otis, a similar rapidly intensifying hurricane.
Otis blew out power in the city for days, left bodies scattered on the coast and desperate family members searching for lost loved ones. Much of the city was left in a state of lawlessness and thousands scavenged in stores, scrambled for food and water.
The government of López Obrador received harsh criticism for its slow response to Otis, but authorities have since pledged to pick up their speed.
President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum said her government planned to work on improving an early alert system, similar to what the country has with earthquakes.
Through Thursday, John is expected to produce 15 to 30 centimeters (6 to 12 inches) of rain across coastal areas of Chiapas state with more in isolated areas. In areas along and near the Oaxaca coast to southeast Guerrero, between 25 and 50 centimeters (10 and 20 inches) of rain with isolated higher totals can be expected through Thursday.
“You’re going to feel the impacts of the storm probably for the next couple of weeks to a couple of months,” meteorologist Benz added.
Hurricane John struck Mexico’s southern Pacific coast Monday night with fierce winds and heavy rainfall after strengthening from tropical storm to major hurricane in a matter of hours.John’s rapid intensification caught authorities off guard as they scrambled to update their guidance to residents and keep pace with the stronger storm.Video above: Tracking the Tropics: Helene forecast to grow in the Caribbean Tuesday and hit Florida by ThursdayIt hit land as a Category 3 hurricane, pummeling a tourist hub of the country’s Oaxaca state with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (190 kph).Shortly before the hurricane hit, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said “life-threatening” and storm surges and flash floods were already ravaging the Pacific coast near Oaxaca. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and other authorities urged people to take shelter.“Seek higher ground, protect yourselves and do not forget that life is the most important thing; material things can be replaced. We are here,” López Obrador wrote on the social media platform X.John hit land near the town of Punta Maldonado and was also likely to batter nearby tourist hubs Acapulco and Puerto Escondido before weakening inland.The unexpected surge in strength caught scientists, authorities and residents of the area by surprise, something AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Matt Benz attributed to warmer oceans, which add fuel to the hurricanes.As a result, surprise surges in hurricanes’ strength have become increasingly common, Benz said.“These are storms that we haven’t really experienced before,” he said. “Rapid intensification has occurred more frequently in modern times as opposed to back in the historical record. So that’s telling us there’s something going on there.”Residents were tense in Oaxaca’s coastal cities as the forecast shifted and authorities responded.Laura Velázquez, the federal coordinator of civil protection, told residents of Pacific coastal cities they should evacuate their homes and head to shelters in order to “protect theirs and their family’s lives.”“It’s very important that all citizens in the coastal zone … take preventive measures,” Velázquez said.Ana Aldai, a 33-year-old employee of a restaurant on the shores of the tourist hub Puerto Escondido, said businesses in the area began closing after authorities ordered the suspension of all work on the area’s main beaches.The governments of Guerrero and Oaxaca states said classes would be suspended in a number of coastal zones on Tuesday.Oaxaca’s governor said the state government had evacuated 3,000 people and set up 80 shelters. It also said it sent out 1,000 military and state personnel to address the emergency.Videos on social media from Puerto Escondido showed flip-flop-clad tourists walking through heavy rain and fishermen pulling their boats out of the water. Strong rains in previous days have already left some roads in the region in a precarious position.Aldai said she was “a little bit distressed” because notice from authorities came quickly. “There was no opportunity to make the necessary purchases. That also distresses us,” she said.Benz, the meteorologist, expressed concern that the storm could slow once it hits land, leaving the storm hovering over the coastal zone, which could cause even greater damage.The hurricane is bleak news for the region, which last year was walloped by Otis, a similar rapidly intensifying hurricane.Otis devastated the resort city of Acapulco, where residents had little warning of the strength of what was about to hit them. One of the most rapidly intensifying hurricanes ever seen, scientists at the time said it was a product of changing climate conditions.Otis blew out power in the city for days, left bodies scattered on the coast and desperate family members searching for lost loved ones. Much of the city was left in a state of lawlessness and thousands scavenged in stores, scrambled for food and water.The government of López Obrador received harsh criticism for its slow response to Otis, but authorities have since pledged to pick up their speed.President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum said her government planned to work on improving an early alert system, similar to what the country has with earthquakes.Through Thursday, John is expected to produce 15 to 30 centimeters (6 to 12 inches) of rain across coastal areas of Chiapas state with more in isolated areas. In areas along and near the Oaxaca coast to southeast Guerrero, between 25 and 50 centimeters (10 and 20 inches) of rain with isolated higher totals can be expected through Thursday.“You’re going to feel the impacts of the storm probably for the next couple of weeks to a couple of months,” meteorologist Benz added.
PUERTO ESCONDIDO, Oax. —
Hurricane John struck Mexico’s southern Pacific coast Monday night with fierce winds and heavy rainfall after strengthening from tropical storm to major hurricane in a matter of hours.
John’s rapid intensification caught authorities off guard as they scrambled to update their guidance to residents and keep pace with the stronger storm.
Video above: Tracking the Tropics: Helene forecast to grow in the Caribbean Tuesday and hit Florida by Thursday
It hit land as a Category 3 hurricane, pummeling a tourist hub of the country’s Oaxaca state with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (190 kph).
Shortly before the hurricane hit, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said “life-threatening” and storm surges and flash floods were already ravaging the Pacific coast near Oaxaca. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and other authorities urged people to take shelter.
“Seek higher ground, protect yourselves and do not forget that life is the most important thing; material things can be replaced. We are here,” López Obrador wrote on the social media platform X.
John hit land near the town of Punta Maldonado and was also likely to batter nearby tourist hubs Acapulco and Puerto Escondido before weakening inland.
The unexpected surge in strength caught scientists, authorities and residents of the area by surprise, something AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Matt Benz attributed to warmer oceans, which add fuel to the hurricanes.
As a result, surprise surges in hurricanes’ strength have become increasingly common, Benz said.
“These are storms that we haven’t really experienced before,” he said. “Rapid intensification has occurred more frequently in modern times as opposed to back in the historical record. So that’s telling us there’s something going on there.”
Residents were tense in Oaxaca’s coastal cities as the forecast shifted and authorities responded.
Laura Velázquez, the federal coordinator of civil protection, told residents of Pacific coastal cities they should evacuate their homes and head to shelters in order to “protect theirs and their family’s lives.”
“It’s very important that all citizens in the coastal zone … take preventive measures,” Velázquez said.
Ana Aldai, a 33-year-old employee of a restaurant on the shores of the tourist hub Puerto Escondido, said businesses in the area began closing after authorities ordered the suspension of all work on the area’s main beaches.
The governments of Guerrero and Oaxaca states said classes would be suspended in a number of coastal zones on Tuesday.
Oaxaca’s governor said the state government had evacuated 3,000 people and set up 80 shelters. It also said it sent out 1,000 military and state personnel to address the emergency.
Videos on social media from Puerto Escondido showed flip-flop-clad tourists walking through heavy rain and fishermen pulling their boats out of the water. Strong rains in previous days have already left some roads in the region in a precarious position.
Aldai said she was “a little bit distressed” because notice from authorities came quickly. “There was no opportunity to make the necessary purchases. That also distresses us,” she said.
Benz, the meteorologist, expressed concern that the storm could slow once it hits land, leaving the storm hovering over the coastal zone, which could cause even greater damage.
The hurricane is bleak news for the region, which last year was walloped by Otis, a similar rapidly intensifying hurricane.
Otis blew out power in the city for days, left bodies scattered on the coast and desperate family members searching for lost loved ones. Much of the city was left in a state of lawlessness and thousands scavenged in stores, scrambled for food and water.
The government of López Obrador received harsh criticism for its slow response to Otis, but authorities have since pledged to pick up their speed.
President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum said her government planned to work on improving an early alert system, similar to what the country has with earthquakes.
Through Thursday, John is expected to produce 15 to 30 centimeters (6 to 12 inches) of rain across coastal areas of Chiapas state with more in isolated areas. In areas along and near the Oaxaca coast to southeast Guerrero, between 25 and 50 centimeters (10 and 20 inches) of rain with isolated higher totals can be expected through Thursday.
“You’re going to feel the impacts of the storm probably for the next couple of weeks to a couple of months,” meteorologist Benz added.
The National Weather Serive has issued coastal flood and high tide advisories through this evening for the North Shore, from Salem to Newburyport.
Second and third coastal flood advisories were issued for Friday at 11 p.m. to Saturday at 5 a.m., and for Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For the high surf advisory, large breaking waves can be expected in the surf zone Friday through 7 p.m., the weather service said.
For the Friday afternoon coastal flood advisory, through 6 p.m. Friday, 1 to 2 feet of inundation above ground level may expected in low-lying areas near shorelines and tidal waterways (4.2 to 13.9 feet Mean Lower Low Water).
Flooding up to 1 foot deep may affect coastal roads on the North Shore from Salem to Gloucester and Newburyport, the weather service said. Rough surf will cause flooding on some coastal roads around the time of high tide due to splashover.
Mariners should be aware the National Weather Service has issued a gale warning through Saturday morning for coastal waters east of Ipswich Bay and the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, and for Massachusetts and Ipswich Bays.
Northeast winds at 20 to 25 knots with gusts up to 40 knots and 6- to 11-foot seas may be expected.
The strong winds will cause hazardous seas which could capsize or damage vessels and reduce visibility, according to the weather service.
Every fall, people travel far and wide to go ‘leaf-peeping.’ The goal is to catch the leaves at peak color to see all the vibrant reds, oranges and yellows that Mother Nature has to offer. Weather plays a primary role in knowing when and where to go.
So what should you expect this year?
What You Need To Know
Weather plays a significant role in fall foliage
Heat and soil moisture determine foliage timing and intensity
Stressed trees will lose leaves earlier or later than normal
Right place at the right time
The first step of successful leaf-peeping is being at the right place at the right time. All other factors aside, this is the average time of the year around the U.S. that you can see peak fall colors according to Explore Fall.
Aside from the Florida peninsula, the Gulf Coast and parts of the desert Southwest, most of the continental U.S. sees color change during fall.
Weather’s role
The weather determines whether the fall foliage comes out early, on time or late every year, but what role does it play?
Heat and moisture are the biggest factors that influence fall foliage. The summer weather helps give an idea of when colors will pop, but the weather during September and October are the biggest influencers.
Here is how soil moisture and air temperature affect fall foliage.
(Courtesy: ExploreFall.com)
A prolonged late-spring or severe summer drought that leads to dry soils in the fall not only affects the timing, but the quality of the colors. Drought and drier soil puts a higher stress on the trees, dulling down the colors and forcing them to lose their leaves sooner.
Heavy rainfall and wet soils in the summer and fall can delay the colors’ arrival by a few days, or even weeks. The later arrival time can produce better fall colors.
Colder and below-normal temperatures bring out fall colors early, while prolonged summer heat and above normal temperatures delay the colors.
According to the USDA Forest Service, “a succession of warm, sunny days and cool, crisp but not freezing nights seems to bring about the most spectacular color displays.” In other words… typical fall weather.
2024 outlook
Fall colors are already starting to pop across some parts of the country, most notably in the Rockies and interior New England, where there are extensive areas of moderate and low color.
For a lot of these spots, it’s right on time. When can the rest of the country expect to see color? Tree stress gives us a good idea if foliage will come out early, on time or late.
It takes those earlier factors into account – soil moisture and temperatures. Low stress areas are where the foliage is most likely to be on time.
High stress areas around Ohio, West Virginia and the Appalachians are also under extreme to exceptional drought. That could cause those areas to lose leaves early and mute some of the vibrant colors.
Drought, along with the combination of above normal summer temperatures, are also leading to highly stressed trees in parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and New Mexico.
Areas with low stress, like parts of New England and the Rockies where fall colors are already coming out, are more likely to see vibrant colors and foliage showing up right on time.
You can check on Explore Fall for a current fall foliage map and forecast updated daily.
Our team of meteorologists dive deep into the science of weather and break down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.
Every fall, people travel far and wide to go ‘leaf-peeping.’ The goal is to catch the leaves at peak color to see all the vibrant reds, oranges and yellows that Mother Nature has to offer. Weather plays a primary role in knowing when and where to go.
So what should you expect this year?
What You Need To Know
Weather plays a significant role in fall foliage
Heat and soil moisture determine foliage timing and intensity
Stressed trees will lose leaves earlier or later than normal
Right place at the right time
The first step of successful leaf-peeping is being at the right place at the right time. All other factors aside, this is the average time of the year around the U.S. that you can see peak fall colors according to Explore Fall.
Aside from the Florida peninsula, the Gulf Coast and parts of the desert Southwest, most of the continental U.S. sees color change during fall.
Weather’s role
The weather determines whether the fall foliage comes out early, on time or late every year, but what role does it play?
Heat and moisture are the biggest factors that influence fall foliage. The summer weather helps give an idea of when colors will pop, but the weather during September and October are the biggest influencers.
Here is how soil moisture and air temperature affect fall foliage.
(Courtesy: ExploreFall.com)
A prolonged late-spring or severe summer drought that leads to dry soils in the fall not only affects the timing, but the quality of the colors. Drought and drier soil puts a higher stress on the trees, dulling down the colors and forcing them to lose their leaves sooner.
Heavy rainfall and wet soils in the summer and fall can delay the colors’ arrival by a few days, or even weeks. The later arrival time can produce better fall colors.
Colder and below-normal temperatures bring out fall colors early, while prolonged summer heat and above normal temperatures delay the colors.
According to the USDA Forest Service, “a succession of warm, sunny days and cool, crisp but not freezing nights seems to bring about the most spectacular color displays.” In other words… typical fall weather.
2024 outlook
Fall colors are already starting to pop across some parts of the country, most notably in the Rockies and interior New England, where there are extensive areas of moderate and low color.
For a lot of these spots, it’s right on time. When can the rest of the country expect to see color? Tree stress gives us a good idea if foliage will come out early, on time or late.
It takes those earlier factors into account – soil moisture and temperatures. Low stress areas are where the foliage is most likely to be on time.
High stress areas around Ohio, West Virginia and the Appalachians are also under extreme to exceptional drought. That could cause those areas to lose leaves early and mute some of the vibrant colors.
Drought, along with the combination of above normal summer temperatures, are also leading to highly stressed trees in parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and New Mexico.
Areas with low stress, like parts of New England and the Rockies where fall colors are already coming out, are more likely to see vibrant colors and foliage showing up right on time.
You can check on Explore Fall for a current fall foliage map and forecast updated daily.
Our team of meteorologists dive deep into the science of weather and break down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.
