(AURN News) — Hurricane Helene, a monster category 4 storm, continues to wreak havoc across the southeastern United States, leaving a trail of historic flooding and destruction in its wake. The storm’s eye made landfall Thursday night just after 11 p.m. along Florida’s Big Bend coast, packing maximum sustained winds of 140 mph. Since then, Helene has carved a path of devastation through Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas, with its effects reaching as far as Indiana and Ohio.
National Weather Service meteorologists report staggering rainfall totals across the affected regions. Some areas in Florida have received up to 15 inches of rain, while parts of Georgia saw 14 inches. The biggest number comes from North Carolina, where more than 29 inches of rain has fallen in some locations.
The deluge has triggered flash flood emergencies in the metro Atlanta area. As Helene continues its destructive march, a complex web of weather warnings blankets the region. Flood and flash flood warnings stretch from the southern Appalachians to north Georgia and southeast Tennessee. A tornado watch is in effect for much of central and eastern North Carolina, with parts of eastern South Carolina and southeast Virginia also at risk.
Tropical storm warnings remain in place along the coast from Georgia to South Carolina and extend inland to parts of Georgia and the Carolinas. High wind warnings have been issued for a vast area, including the central and southern Appalachians, parts of Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana.
Click play to listen to the AURN News report from Jamie Jackson:
