Hurricane Helene’s Havoc: Florida Hit By One Of The Largest Storms Ever

9. Hurricane Helene makes a catastrophic landfall in Florida's Big Bend as a Category 4 storm with winds of 140 mph.

[{"selector":"#anim-2bce4801-5cfb-4e3b-932f-802e0c059cdc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-04d91d80-6a17-4da4-a38f-2c0882cd1563","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -274.48055%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

8. Immediate Power Outages: Before the hurricane even makes landfall, almost a million people lose power.

[{"selector":"#anim-16a2bd7a-6fb0-4524-87ad-714ec23d3f6b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9b4624c7-2ed7-478d-9e43-fb999cbed787","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -269.19599%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

7. Verified Deaths: At least one death has been linked to debris, and there are worries that there may be more.

[{"selector":"#anim-911e9242-dee7-4fc9-8f67-7134af32c903","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8fc28ef5-6ed6-4c47-92ae-38c03e04da3a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -272.04153%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

6. Devastating Storm Surge: Twenty-foot storm surges are predicted, which could wipe out cars and structures.

[{"selector":"#anim-b63d0458-ec3b-4616-a63e-4fcadc8e11a1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e19ad35f-4700-490a-9ac5-cfb90dc4e131","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -274.48055%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

5. Heavy Rainfall Warning: Up to 15 inches of rain could fall in some areas, resulting in flash floods throughout several states.

[{"selector":"#anim-ca6296e5-d024-4223-add0-51f41bae3172","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0a2d2f48-3867-4688-a2dc-776d12028b51","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -228.49904%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

4. Mandatory Evacuations: In areas like Sarasota and Charlotte, Florida officials have ordered evacuations.

[{"selector":"#anim-3b9715be-0774-4c39-ac2b-889984320bfe","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7d98df6d-d211-43ec-9d40-b98a048ad8db","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -270.00902%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

3. In a desperate attempt to stay safe, Taylor County officials suggest that citizens tattoo their identifying information on their arms.

[{"selector":"#anim-8864ea50-aeff-4ef3-b27e-efaf4d13811f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6c64712e-71a1-4d1b-a7e4-7ba5faa36ae9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -236.9201%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

2. Widespread Infrastructure Disruption: Florida's airports and energy facilities close and evacuate its patrons.

[{"selector":"#anim-f34d1200-1c17-4d9e-a54d-2f2531ecaa6d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9495fc5a-43a4-418d-ae47-d65eacf375b1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -266.08186%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

1. Agricultural Concerns: The storm's tremendous rainfall is putting Georgia's cotton and pecan crops at jeopardy.

[{"selector":"#anim-20199602-dbcf-4b36-acb8-7b2ab5697fcf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-531baea7-b8e5-4e17-9fdb-d61bce361c80","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -242.77326%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more