Helene to cut a swath of destruction Florida, Georgia, South & North Carolina & Tennessee

Hurricane Helene is heading for the North Coast of Florida. Landfall will be tonight and then Helene will move rapidly northward cutting a swath of destruction across 5 states at the very least. It is an unsual hurricane in that it will be accelerating northward once inland. This fast movement will slow any weakening that a storm normally does after landfall. Hurricane and tropical force winds will be felt not only in North Florida but well inland to the Georgia, Carolina and Tennessee mountains some 300 miles to the north!

Photo byweather prediction center

Flash flooding is a certainty and there will be extensive river flooding especailly in the northern mountains of Georgia, North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee. These area have been raining since yesterday and up to a foot of rain will fall before this is all said and done later Friday or early Saturday.

Photo byTropical Tidbits

This has been an unusual storm with an unusual jet stream pattern. The fast forward speed means that those who live to the right of the track of the center will experience wind gusts much higher than normal due to the momentum of the forward spead. This period will likely last 6 to 8 hours. From landfall tonight around 10pm along the Florida coast, the hurricane will be moving at 30 mph and it will reach North Georgia by 8am Friday. This rapid forward motion will delay weakening and Helene might still be at hurricane strength when it passes just to the east of the Atlanda Georgia metro area overnight.