Potential for "disastrous tidal surge" attributable to Hurricane Helena near the American coastline
Hurricane "Helene"관심 objects towards the U.S. state of Florida on Thursday. As a Category 2 hurricane with wind speeds reaching up to 155 kilometers per hour, the storm was marching towards Florida's Gulf Coast. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami issued a warning for a "disastrous and deadly storm surge" and flooding. The NHC predicted that the storm would make landfall as a Category 4 hurricane late Thursday or early Friday (local time), with the potential to "burrow deep into the mainland". The NHC also warned of "countless" landslides in the southern Appalachian Mountains.
Alerts and warnings are also in effect for other states. In Atlanta, the capital of the state of Georgia with a population of five million, storm surge was anticipated for Friday. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for various parts of the state and mobilized the National Guard. "The repercussions will be felt beyond the storm's eye," warned DeSantis. Sixteen counties in Florida requested partial evacuations, with two ordering evacuations for all inhabitants. DeSantis reported that more than 60 hospitals and nursing homes had been evacuated. "You will experience the impacts of this storm throughout the entire peninsula of Florida," warned the governor.
It was predicted that "Helene" would make landfall near Tallahassee in northern Florida. Coastal communities there already appeared deserted by Wednesday afternoon. Further south, near the city of Tampa, long queues formed at sand distribution points for flood barriers and other supplies. "We're accustomed to it," said 44-year-old teacher Lorraine Major, referring to the storms and hurricanes that strike the state every year. "But in recent years, the hurricanes have really, really intensified."
In Clearwater, Jasper MacFarland bolstered his front door with sandbags. "I anticipate the water to rise, and I don't want it to flood into my house," he explained. U.S. President Joe Biden was briefed on the hurricane on Wednesday. The White House stated that the government was prepared to help Florida and other states. If forecasts are correct, "Helene" could be the most powerful hurricane in the region in over a year. Hurricane "Idalia" hit northeastern Florida in August 2023.
Experts attribute the intensification of tropical storms and their quicker increase in strength to climate change, due to the warming of the oceans. The Atlantic has been unusually hot this year, leading the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to warn of an "unprecedented" hurricane season. Hurricane "John" had already crossed Mexico on Tuesday, with a child and a woman dying in a landslide triggered by the storm, according to officials. On Wednesday, "Helene" skirted the Mexican coast but did not make landfall.
In the anticipation of the storm surge, Atlanta issued flood warnings. As Governor DeSantis warned, the storm surge in Florida could affect the entire peninsula, potentially causing significant flooding.
