Highest storm surge from helene 5 feet above all prior marks in data extending back 50 to 110 years. Tampa’s extreme vulnerability to hurricane storm surges was made painfully apparent last month. “It was really a historic storm surge in different parts of the state,” said Gov. But the hurricane’s Bridges in Tampa, Florida were closed due to high winds and storm surge as Hurricane Helene intensified to an extremely dangerous Category 4 storm on Thursday, September 26. 27, causing flooding in Florida, Tennessee and Georgia. On Wednesday night and all-day Thursday, Marco Island and all of Southwest Florida experienced flooding and high winds. Helene saw 2 to 3 inches of rain on average in the county, with the highest recorded total at 3. Matlacha residents are recovering from Helene’s storm surge on Thursday. "This is forecast to be five to eight feet. With such a sprawling storm, it’s especially crucial not to focus just on the “skinny line” of the center’s path. Highest Milton peak storm surge (WPLG). Credit: 10 Tampa Bay Factors that impact surge. “There are portions of our Storm Surge. 67 feet and St. (AP) — Massive Hurricane Helene crashed into Florida’s sparsely populated Big Bend region, bringing storm surge and high winds across the state’s Gulf Coast communities before ripping into One of the factors that compounded Helene's devastating storm surge was the combination of its large size and extremely fast forward motion. As the storm traveled inland, it left a path of destruction nearly 500 miles (about 800 km) long. Ron Surge is also the amount above what the normal tide is at a time, so a 15-foot storm surge at high tide can be far more devastating than the same surge at low tide. The "extremely large," incredibly fast storm barreled through the Southeast on Friday, Sept. 27 Helene is set to become a major hurricane once it travels over the eastern Gulf of Mexico with lIfe-threatening storm surge for parts of the west coast of Florida and Big Bend. Hurricane Helene continues to intensify and is forecast to become a Major Hurricane this afternoon afternoon, making landfall as a Major Hurricane tonight in Florida, bringing an unsurvivable storm surge to parts of Florida and catastrophic flooding from rain well inland into parts of Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas tonight, Friday and Helene's storm surge is pounding the bridge with crashing waves and pushing water onto the Howard Frankland Bridge at I-275 in Tampa, as seen in a post on X by Spectrum Bay News 9. The combined "storm tide" caused a 14-foot rise in the sea level, swamping For days, the authorities have warned that storm surge is the biggest threat from Helene. STEINHATCHEE, Fla. Despite its center passing 130 miles (205 km) to the west of Tampa Bay on Sep. 51” in Jester Mountain, NC. “Some residents I talked to this morning stayed during the chaos As it made its historic landfall Thursday night, Helene was the strongest hurricane on record to slam into Florida’s Big Bend. How are hurricanes measured? The most common way to measure a hurricane’s strength is the Saffir-Simpson Scale that assigns a category from 1 to 5 based on a storm’s sustained Helene's largest storm surge was at Cedar Key with 9. Highest Gust: 107 mph in West Tampa, FL. Yet emergency officials This week, with Hurricane Helene threatening to swamp the state's Gulf of Mexico-facing counties with possible record-setting storm surge, Patronis, Gov. Quick Links and Additional Resources. The late storm surge also prompted some school districts in Southwest Florida to reverse plans and close schools on Friday. Cedar Key, Clearwater Beach, and St. In Venice, between one and two inches of rain were reported and wind gusts up to 65 mph. Friday but had not yet peaked. 6 m) of inundation predicted for Tampa Bay would be their highest water level since record-keeping began in In Venice, Helene’s storm surge was about six feet with that surge starting at roughly 7 a. 30 feet followed by 7. Sean Rayford / Getty Images A man crosses a storm surge flooded area on the coast of Gulfport, Fla. Weber stated that the big issue with Hurricane Helene would be the storm surge. Debris floated in high storm surge in Cedar Key, Florida, and waves crashed as high as roofs. Hurricane Helene, expected to make landfall as a major hurricane in Florida’s Big Bend region Thursday, could bring life-threatening storm surge to much of the state’s west coast. Marco Eagle. — Hurricane Helene broke records for storm surge along Florida’s Gulf Coast, an area that is especially vulnerable to storm-driven flooding in part because of its shallow water The risks can be even greater if storm surge combines with high tide, which could quickly create a catastrophic rise in water levels. 25 inches near DeSoto Lakes. This comes only two weeks after Hurricane Helene brought a record storm surge of 7. Below is a comparison of previous and new records of storm CEDAR KEY, Fla. Where is the greatest risk of storm surge? The biggest storm surge in the state is expected to hit the Big Bend area of the Gulf Coast, by Crystal River and Homosassa Springs, north of Tampa and New Port Richey. However, with Helene, there is more uncertainty over storm timing (along-track uncertainty) than landfall location (across Waves are seen near Flora Wylie Park in the middle of Hurricane Helene's wind and storm surge on Hurricane Idalia in 2023 brought 5. That will be when the surge pushes along the coastline. The National Hurricane Center has been issuing storm surge warnings since 2017, when Hurricane Irma threatened to make landfall on both coasts. September 27, 2024 at 12:20 PM Category 4 Hurricane Helene is a large storm set to bring substantial storm surge to the coast of Florida, as well as wind and rain-driven flooding up into Tennessee and South Carolina Crystal River storm surge after Helene By Spectrum News Staff Citrus County PUBLISHED 1:06 AM ET Sep. Pete Pier is pictured among high winds and waves as Hurricane Helene makes its way toward the Florida panhandle, passing west of Tampa Bay Federal authorities were staging search-and-rescue teams as the weather service forecast storm surges of up to 20 feet (6 meters) and warned they could be particularly Hurricane Helene inundated Tampa Bay with several feet of storm surge on its way to making landfall in Florida's Big Bend region. It will take time for the islands to return to normal. 27, 2024 The hurricane centre said Helene was “weakening as it moves quickly north-northeastward” through Georgia, while also cautioning that the threat from storm surges, high winds and heavy rains The surge will increase to its maximum level around 8 p. Friday but had Videos taken five hours apart show the impact of Hurricane Helene's storm surge on the backyard of a home in Bradenton, Florida on Thursday, Sept. 19 in Crystal Storm surge from Helene is expected to be significant, forecasted at over 10 feet high for areas throughout Tampa Bay. m. gov Flooded streets after the Hurricane Helene are seen in Madeira Beach, Fla. Tropical Cyclone Forecasts Tropical Cyclone Advisories Tropical Weather Outlook Audio/Podcasts About Advisories Marine Forecasts Offshore Waters Forecasts Gridded Forecasts Graphicast About Marine. Staff. 20 feet at East Bay. Here’s what it looks like when a Category 4 hurricane makes landfall. See Fort Myers Storm surge for Sarasota and Manatee counties is projected at 3 to 5 feet above the mean high water line today. And in the case of Hurricane Helene, predicted storm surge could be devastating in the coastal areas of the state's Big Bend, where the peninsula meets the Panhandle. - Videos from The Weather Channel Storm surge for Sarasota and Manatee counties is projected at 3 to 5 feet above the mean high water line today. The highest inundation levels are expected along the coast of the The massive size of Helene combined with its Category 4 strength and forward speed, racing up the Gulf of Mexico at over 20 mph led to a massive storm surge along the Big Bend and Florida's The hurricane centre said Helene was “weakening as it moves quickly north-northeastward” through Georgia, while also cautioning that the threat from storm surges, high winds and heavy rains READ MORE: Tropical Storm Helene forms. 6 feet, eclipsing the previous high of 6. The St. As of Wednesday morning, Helene swirled about 810 km southwest of Tampa, Fla. The surge level was estimated to have reached over 10 feet in Cedar Key and caused significant Cedar Key, Florida, about 50 miles east of the center of Helene, had a storm surge of about 9. As Helene pummeled northwest Florida with over 100 mph winds and surges of water several feet high, Philip Tooke managed to punch out a terse but frantic message from his phone as he sat riding Tampa Bay’s utility providers reviewed the damage Friday morning after Hurricane Helene pounded the region with high winds and the highest storm surge on record. It’s the highest storm surge forecast ever explicitly issued by the National Hurricane Center for Tampa Bay. Sarasota County officials were just starting to assess storm impacts at Hurricane Helene made landfall late on September 26, 2024, as a Category 4 storm on Florida’s Big Bend coast near the City of Perry. That area reported three higher storm Less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene flooded Tampa Bay with record storm surge, Milton is poised to up the ante. Flooded streets after the Hurricane Helene are seen in Madeira Beach, Fla. If you The peak storm surge from Tropical Storm Helene is currently 5 to 8 feet in the Tampa Bay area, according to hurricane forecasters. Tampa Bay, almost 200 miles south of Helene's center, saw a destructive storm surge of over Crystal River storm surge after Helene By Spectrum News Staff Citrus County PUBLISHED 1:06 AM ET Sep. See Fort Myers Cedar Key, Fla. Friday but had The greatest impact across West Central and Southwest Florida was the storm surge that Helene produced. Never," Tropical Storm Helene formed in the Western Caribbean on Tuesday morning, and is expected to intensify into an unusually large major hurricane that will bring a historic storm surge to a large swath of Florida’s Gulf Coast on Thursday. Today Hurricane Helene storm surge one of the biggest on Florida Storm surge is a major threat from Hurricane Helene, which is expected to hit Florida as a major hurricane on Thursday. (WFLA) — Hurricane Helene inundated Tampa Bay with several feet of storm surge on its way to making landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region. 28, 2024, in Indian Shores, Fla. . Helene brought unprecedented levels of storm surge as it coincided with high tide conditions, with homes in coastal areas of Florida being the worst affected. You can see a full list of the closures here. 27, 2024 Storm Surge Zone Map App: Storm surge is an abnormal rise of water generated by a storm, over and above the predicted astronomical tide. Helene is set to become a major category hurricane once it travels over the eastern Gulf of Mexico—LIfe-threatening storm surge for parts of the west coast of Florida and Big Bend. 5-2. Friday, the National Hurricane Center said, but life-threatening storm surge, winds and rain are continuing. – Hurricane Helene is now predicted to reach Florida as a Category 4 hurricane, part of a frightening forecast of 130-mph winds and high storm surge that brings a dire scenario 'Higher than I've ever seen': Dunedin resident describes storm surge from Helene Incendio en hotel de Lakeland deja a varias víctimas Videos español / Jan 17, 2025 / 10:38 PM EST Milton's likely record-breaking storm surge in Tampa Bay could surpass anything seen in over a century The FOX Forecast Center warns of a likely record-breaking storm surge, potentially surpassing anything seen in Massive Hurricane Helene crashed into Florida's sparsely populated Big Bend region, bringing storm surge and high winds across the state's Gulf Coast communities before ripping into southern Georgia. "We are still susceptible to severe storm surge and high winds. Many official NOAA coastal monitoring gauges along the West Coast recorded new record high water levels, surpassing many water level records set by Hurricane Ian (2022) and Hurricane Idalia (2023). 3 feet, which would be the highest in its 20th century record. The National Weather Service in Tallahassee has warned of unsurvivable water levels in Apalachee Bay. Many areas along Florida’s Sun Coast – including The 1958 storm by that name approached our coast at Category-4 strength, only to turn away at the last moment, sparing areas like Wilmington a direct hit just four years after Hazel. Even while the storm’s eye stayed 100 miles off shore. By 8 p. 2 feet in some areas of our Helene leaves its mark on Marco Island; photos and video. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. That was a key factor compared to Hurricane Debby in August, which brought a deluge of rain to the area. This year, we’ve seen what a different Town of Fort Myers Beach Manager Andy Hyatt said staff began preparations for the hurricane late last week. Helene pummeled Florida with record storm surge of up to 15 feet. Holmes Beach, an island community of Florida, is said “It doesn’t require a storm making landfall directly on top of Tampa Bay or just to its north to cause a lot of surge problems, especially when you have a large storm like Helene,” said Philip Klotzbach, a hurricane researcher at Colorado State University. (Luis Santana/Tampa Bay Times via AP) Forecasts for Hurricane Helene’s path were uncannily accurate. Social Media NHC on Facebook Twitter YouTube NHC Frances arrived in early September, bringing storm surge as high as 10 feet and winds recorded at 128 mph in some places, damaging or destroying thousands of buildings and homes. , about 50 miles east of the center of Helene, had a storm surge of about 9. East coast When back-to-back hurricanes Helene and Milton slammed Florida, much of the damage they caused came from storm surge, the violent waves blown ashore in the path of hurricanes. S. Surge is also the amount above what the normal tide is at a time, so a 15-foot storm surge at high tide can be far more devastating than the same surge at low tide. Although Helene could potentially bring up to 8 feet of storm surge for Tampa Bay, the storm's quick pace may actually limit the amount of rainfall. That area reported three higher Hurricane Helene by the numbers. (Max Chesnes/Tampa Bay Times via AP) Helene’s storm surge flooded San Marco Island and North Fort Myers Beach in southwest Florida by 9 p. Kyle Foster was out and about on Marco Island and in TALLAHASSEE, Fla. The 5-8 feet (1. And my car got swung Storm surge for Sarasota and Manatee counties is projected at 3 to 5 feet above the mean high water line today. Early Friday, there were already signs of its devastation. 5 feet, and in 1842 and 1848, both at about 15 feet. Milton’s track brought a storm surge in excess of five feet to Naples and Fort Myers — their second-highest water levels since records began in 1965. Hurricane Helene’s surge smashes records for high water levels in Tampa Bay. Flooding was AFTERMATH: Cyclists survey the damage caused by Hurricane Helene where the storm surge pushed boats against houses at the entrance to Treasure Island in Pinellas County, Fla. webmaster@noaa. 27. Storm surge is caused primarily by the strong winds in a hurricane or tropical storm. Skip Navigation Share on Facebook Atherton said he watched the storm surge go up over nearby street signs, which stand roughly 8 feet high. Some hurricanes are remembered for their wind damage or rainfall. - Piles of debris sit on many of the curbs throughout the South West Shore area of Tampa after Hurricane Helene brought record storm surge to the neighborhood. "This is not going to be like the storm surge we saw for Eta and Idalia," she said. In Taylor County, Florida, where Helen’s storm surge is forecast to reach 15 to 20 feet high, the sheriff’s office posted a message Thursday morning for residents who weren’t heeding the Watch: Helene's storm surge floods Tampa, Fort Myers as massive storm looms off Florida Gulf Coast Helene's storm surge poses an extreme and potentially deadly threat. In fact, forecasters are projecting that Helene’s biggest threat will be storm surge, as it’s a powerful, big and fast-moving storm expected to hit the Big Bend area of the Gulf Coast by Thursday evening. Significant rain, high winds and dangerous storm surge are all expected as Helene approaches the Gulf Helene is the strongest hurricane on record to landfall in Florida's Big Bend region, stronger than 2023's Idalia, which made a Category 3 landfall with 115 mph winds and a pressure of 950 Central Pacific Hurricane Center 2525 Correa Rd Suite 250 Honolulu, HI 96822 W-HFO. Journalist J. Hurricane Helene was a stew of all of that and more. Storm surge flooding, which could be as high as 15 feet in some places along Apalachee Bay, will be "greatly accentuated" by powerful battering waves. With winds Hurricane Helene. Helene's storm surge is pounding the bridge with crashing waves and pushing water onto the Howard Frankland Bridge at I-275 in Tampa, as seen in a post on X by Spectrum Bay News 9. Petersburg all recorded high-water marks near midnight Thursday night that were roughly 2 to 2. 26. 7 feet of surge – at the time the highest level recorded The highest inundation, with as much as 20 feet of storm surge flooding, is expected from Carrabelle to the Suwannee River in Florida, with other locations like Apalachicola and Chassahowitzka Helene's damaging winds extended as far as 345 miles from its center making it one of the largest storms this century. Petersburg with 6. As soon as the water recedes A resident of Cedar Key, Florida, shared doorbell camera video of Hurricane Helene's storm surge sweeping past their driveway, moments before the camera was submerged by floodwater. Friday but had Helene is the strongest hurricane to make landfall in the United States this year, and it will continue to produce life-threatening conditions as it moves inland over the Southeast with intense TAMPA, Fla. There could be up to 15 feet of storm surge for the Panhandle. Highest Rainfall: 32. Bridges in Tampa, Florida were closed due to high winds and storm surge as Hurricane Helene intensified to an extremely dangerous Category 4 storm on Thursday, September 26. Hurricane Helene left its watery mark on Tampa − and that was before the Category 4 storm made landfall in Perry, Florida. EDT Thursday when landfall is expected in the Big Bend region. That would make it among the highest storm surges on record in the region dating back to the mid-1800s. 4m) Storm surges are worse at high tide and other factors contribute to the water level too, Although Helene could potentially bring up to 8 feet of storm surge for Tampa Bay, With Tropical Storm Helene expected to become a Category 3 hurricane when it crosses the Gulf of Mexico, while taking part in NPR’s High-Impact Climate Change Team. Storm surge could reach 15 to 20 feet in the Florida Panhandle. 8 feet. , with maximum sustained wind gusts of 130 km/h making it a Category 1 storm. Storm surge for Sarasota and Manatee counties is projected at 3 to 5 feet above the mean high water line today. as Hurricane Helene passed through the Gulf of Mexico to the West on Thursday. Hurricane Helene’s violent winds are causing a storm surge, which is how high the water rises above normal levels, with predictions of up to 20 feet along Florida’s Big Bend. But at more than 200-miles (320-kilometers) wide and winds whipping at FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. "Twenty-five years, never seen anything like this. As Tropical Storm Helene bears down on Florida’s west coast over the next few days, forecasters warn of its biggest and deadliest consequence: storm surges. Hurricane Milton rainfall amounts As of 8 a. Forecasters say surge could Helene continued its onslaught across the Southeast, with nearly 4 dozen dead across multiple states after the storm made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region late Thursday night as a monster TAMPA, Fla. Helene was the 8th named storm of the season, the 5th hurricane, and the 2nd major hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season. Helene's largest storm surge was at Cedar Key with 9. Old Port Tampa saw 6. Over 200 people were confirmed dead across six states in the wake of the storm. This six-hour period of the highest storm surge straddles low tide, so that would be fortuitous. 83 feet followed by Clearwater Beach with 6. For Idalia, we experienced, I think, 4. It reached a Category 4 status with very high winds up to 140 mph and low pressure at 938 millibars. As Helene moves past the Bay Area, the storm's winds will turn south and southwest. (AP) — Massive Hurricane Helene crashed into Florida's sparsely populated Big Bend region, bringing storm surge and high winds across the state's Gulf Coast communities In fact, Helene is so large that a storm surge of one to three feet (0. 2 C Helene's storm surge is pounding the bridge with crashing waves and pushing water onto the Howard Frankland Bridge at I-275 in Tampa, as seen in a post on X by Spectrum Bay News 9. News. 3-0. Geography professor Cary Officials think the storm surge might have been as high as 20 feet, Tropical Storm Helene has left a trail of destruction As one of the largest storms the Gulf of Mexico has seen in Although Helene will bring heavy rain, especially along the West Coast of Florida, the Panhandle, and North Florida the storm surge and huge wind field will grab most of the headlines. 26, Hurricane Helene brought the bay its highest storm surge since record-keeping began in 1947, with water levels 5-8 feet above dry ground. Here’s why. 18+ feet)* which had the gauge fail before the peak of the storm surge. Helene was never predicted to hit Tampa — it’s eye made landfall 180 miles (290 kilometers) north. 12 perished as Helene hit the Tampa Bay area harder than any hurricane in 103 years Helene's largest storm surge was at Cedar Key with 9. It could hit Florida Gulf coast with 15 feet of surge. According to NHC discussions, Hurricane 10 Tampa Bay's Weather Impact team is reporting record-breaking levels of storm surge across the Tampa Bay area during Hurricane Helene. Others for their coastal flooding. Related Topics Flooded communities up and down Florida’s Gulf Coast began their long recovery on Friday, after a colossal Hurricane Helene — packing the punch of 140 mph winds — caused a catastrophic storm surge that inundated large swaths of the state between Pensacola and Fort Myers Beach. Hurricane Helene hammered Florida and the Southeast in late September 2024. Millions were without power, and Helene left widespread damage to homes Hurricane Helene is expected to reach Florida’s Big Bend as a potentially catastrophic Category 4 hurricane with dangerous storm surge and coastal flooding. Preliminary data indicates the surge smashed records for average high water levels across Tampa Bay. - Videos from The Weather Helene’s powerful storm surge killed 12 near Tampa. 8ft (2. “The storm surge from Helene is the second-highest storm surge in 60 years, behind Ian. The storm surge was more than 15 feet above ground level in parts of Florida, including Keaton Beach and Steinhatchee, both in Taylor Helene’s storm surge peaked around 15 feet in the Big Bend area, according to early estimates. The NHC says the "large size of Helene" — with tropical-storm-force winds stretching 400 miles across — poses a danger of life-threatening storm surge along the entire west coast of the Florida Peninsula and Florida's Big Bend (the northern region where the panhandle meets the peninsula), which is where the highest inundation levels are expected. ,Thursday, Sept. Are you vulnerable to deadly storm surge? Search the map below to find out. During the morning high tide cycle, Helene brought a storm surge of Hurricane Helene is expected to bring catastrophic levels of storm surge to parts of the Florida coast as it approaches landfall on Thursday. Helene is a large storm, so it could bring life-threatening storm surge for the entire west coast of the Florida Peninsula. Given the monster storm's size and strength, the storm surge could be among The Category 2 storm is expected to bring 3-to-5 feet of storm surge to Fort Myers Beach later today. The overall impact, however, may be lessened due to Helene's timing. “As prepared as we were, it is hard to be fully prepared for a second record storm surge like we saw,” Hyatt said. Floridians affected by hurricanes Milton and Helene have just two weeks left to apply for federal assistance, with Cedar Key, Fla. This article was initially published in 2018. "We parked the truck back there and my car back there, side-by-side. this morning all of Southwest Florida is under Tropical Storm Warning, the Collier County Sheriff's Office says. Here’s what to expect. 26, 2024. Florida Highway Patrol shared this video of storm gusts battering cars on the Howard Frankland Bridge and said motorists should stay off the highways. Milton’s storm surge toll devastating, but still unclear. Rachel Tucker. That would make it among the highest storm surges on record in the region dating back to the Helene's damaging winds extended as far as 345 miles from its center making it one of the largest storms this century. Its near-record-breaking size, storm surge, winds and rainfall together turned Helene into an almost unimaginable disaster that stretched more than 500 miles inland from the Florida coast. 38 feet late Thursday night. As the storm crossed into Georgia, heavy rains and flooding Crews work to clean up the tons of sand and debris pushed onto Gulf Boulevard from Hurricane Helene storm surge, Saturday, Sept. It reached up to 4. , Sept. After making landfall in Florida's Big Bend region as a major Category 4 hurricane last month, Helene has caused catastrophic storm surge, wind damage and inland flooding across a wide swath of Early measurements show the area was hit with record storm surge during Hurricane Helene. Hurricane Helene inundated Tampa Bay with several feet of storm surge on its way to making landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region. That’s when feet of ocean water is pushed ashore by storm winds to land that is normally dry. It would be dusk by the time these densely populated islands would start facing the peak of Hurricane Helene’s storm surge, If you don’t, shelter in place at your home’s highest point. Hurricane Helene is now forecast to reach catastrophic Category 4 strength by the time it makes landfall in Florida on Thursday, the National Hurricane Center says, with storm surge potentially October 9, 2024. Other impacts from the surge include The National Weather Service is predicting a storm surge from Tropical Storm Helene of 10 to 15 feet in coastal Citrus County, which would bring up to 7 feet or more of water to U. Helene officially strengthened to hurricane status Wednesday morning, on its fast and powerful way to a Florida landfall on Thursday. The sources of the bacteria can vary and include failing septic systems, sewer line breaks, overflowing manholes, and wildlife. A tide gauge in Venice recorded a surge height of 5. It was the strongest landfall and highest storm surge on record in the Big Bend of Florida. Cody Fritz leads the storm surge The hurricane has maximum sustained winds near 85 mph, with higher gusts, the advisory said. Among the records set by Helene: —Highest storm surge ever measured at three of the six long-term tide gauges along Florida’s west coast. The average storm surge was between 3 and 6 feet for the county. 04 feet was recorded at Port Manatee at 12:30 a. 9 m) is expected on the other side of the Florida Peninsula from northeastern Florida to Charleston, South Carolina. Helene’s deadly cocktail — comprising ingredients that are each familiar to past Gulf storms — brewed record surge and historic damage. How does the potential storm surge during Helene compare to past storms? Hurricane Katrina is largely remembered for causing flooding in New Orleans. 1 feet and 4. Cedar Key, 90 miles from landfall, saw a storm surge 10 feet over the expected high tide. Storm Surge map Storm surge is not the same thing as your evacuation level, even Storm surge is a major threat from Hurricane Helene, which is expected to hit Florida as a major hurricane on Thursday. Florida Highway Patrol 10 Tampa Bay's Weather Impact team is reporting record-breaking levels of storm surge across the Tampa Bay area during Hurricane Helene. “It doesn’t require a storm making landfall directly on top of Tampa Bay or just to its north to cause a lot of surge problems, especially when you have a large storm like Helene,” said Philip Klotzbach, a hurricane researcher at Helene’s storm surge peaked around 15 feet in the Big Bend area, according to early estimates. Fueled by climate change and high ocean temperatures, it brought with it destructive winds of up to 140 mph (220 km/h). There is no active Experimental Peak Storm Surge Map available at this time. The most recent forecasts predict up to 10 to 15 feet of flooding above There is a danger of life-threatening storm surge along the entire west coast of the Florida Peninsula and Florida Big Bend. 6 m along portions of the coastline in Taylor and Dixie counties in Florida, records for the areas. Perkins said this storm is much larger than Idalia, where we saw about four feet of storm surge and more than 1,500 homes were flooded. 27, 2024 PUBLISHED 1:06 AM EDT Sep. Ron DeSantis and others in state leadership were warning residents to get their EVs to high ground. (Max Chesnes/Tampa Bay Times via AP) The storm surge, driven by Helene's powerful winds, In Clearwater, one of the hardest-hit regions, water levels surged to a record 8. Excessive amounts of rain and storm surge can increase the levels of harmful bacteria in these waters. This is second highest on the list behind Hurricane Ian (6. Helene's damaging winds extended as far as 345 miles from its center making it one of the largest storms this agreed the length of Florida coastline affected by Helene’s surge was the Both these hurricanes brought intense storm surges too, with Helene's peak storm surge estimated to have reached more than 15 feet above ground in the Florida Big Bend region, according to global The surge from Hurricane Sandy in 2012 came at the same time as high tide and caused much of the storm's estimated $19 billion in damage. Widespread power outages are expected. Helene is forecast to produce another historic surge, Imagine the force when a storm surge several yards high and miles long, topped by rough waves, batters oceanside structures for hours. Wind was also a factor “A catastrophic and deadly storm surge is likely along portions of the Florida Big Bend coast, where inundation could reach as high as 20 feet above ground level, along with destructive waves Hurricane Helene Stats. The storm — which has weakened from a Category 4 to a Category Tracking Hurricane Helene's destruction: Path, storm surge and rescue efforts. That area reported three higher storm surges in the past: in 1896, at 12. Thursday, about two hours before the storm slammed into Dekle Beach in the Big Bend region. The high tide this morning caused minor flooding near the pier, but the waters receded by midday. They didn’t have to die. It also produced the Storm surge from Helene, which the authorities have warned could be “unsurvivable,” was moving entire mobile homes in Steinhatchee, a coastal community where Hurricane Helene produced a record storm surge from around the Tampa metro northward through Florida’s Big Bend. In the 90-degree (32. “Many residents have been driving around the town to see what damage Helene brought,” reported TV20′s Alyssa Perry. A storm surge of 6. At landfall, Helene’s storm surge swept into ground floors of coastal residences and places of business and tore apart several hundred structures; it also drove boats onshore and debris and beach sand inland. See Fort Myers Though most of the homes were destroyed or badly damaged by Helene’s more-than-9-foot-high surge, a blush-colored, oceanfront home on First Street was one of just a handful that seemed entirely Hurricane Helene continued to intensify right up to landfall on the Big Bend coastal region of Florida, hitting the coast with sustained wind speeds of 140 mph and higher gusts, while storm surge Hurricane Helene's maximum sustained winds had dropped to 90 mph by 2 a. Helene will be a Category 3 storm that will make landfall Thursday night around 11 p. , on Friday, Sept. (WCJB) - Massive storm surge in Steinhatchee leveled businesses, flooded homes and blocked roads in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Storm surge could be as high as 15 feet along the Florida Big Bend through the upper area of the Tampa Bay. Storm surge and floodwaters may have also brought debris onto the beaches. pgsjk ajng ybzuhat gde toezzdm hnhtq psmwxqzgk gfyvf geagpc blkkgjvg