JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – For the past two years, the Big Bend area has been inundated with hurricanes, including Hurricane Idalia in 2023 and Hurricane Debbie in 2024. Still, nothing has come close to hitting the area with winds over 140 mph.
But Hurricane Helene’s winds, which topped off at 140 mph (940 bar), devastated the area starting late Thursday night, bringing a massive storm surge that demolished communities.
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The hurricane’s wind field extended to 310 miles wide, impacting most of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina early Friday morning. At least 30 people were reported dead in four states.
But it’s not the first time a Hurricane Helene caused damage in the South. It happened before — exactly 66 years ago.
On Sept. 27, 1958, Hurricane Helene, classified as a Category 4 with winds up to 130 mph, initially headed for North Carolina but changed its course at the last moment to ride the coastline, according to the National Hurricane Center.
According to NPR, the storm brought more than 8 inches of rain to Wilmington and severe damage to coastal homes, small buildings and agricultural fields, but there was no direct landfall. Due to early warnings, mandatory evacuation of coastal islands and its low-tide timing, Helene caused just one serious injury and no direct fatalities.
Helene has been classified as a major hurricane three times: 1958, 1988, and 2006, but none has impacted any land until this week.
Over two days, Hurricane Helene impacted much of the eastern U.S., bringing extreme winds and heavy rainfall.
It was among the largest hurricanes ever recorded.
According to NOLA.com, Helene was larger than roughly 90% of all other storms to form in the last 20 years.
The National Hurricane Center has used Helene extensively, 24 times throughout the decades, but there will be no more.
Hurricane Helene will now be formally retired.