As a full-time storm chaser, I’ve witnessed nature’s fury in many forms, but Hurricane Helene left a trail of destruction that will never be forgotten. This storm, one of the deadliest in more than two decades, left a trail of destruction from the Big Bend of Florida to the Carolinas and into Virginia. It’s a stark reminder of our urgent need to enhance preparedness for extreme weather events.
In the days leading up to Helene’s landfall, forecast models were in agreement, warning us of a significant tropical system in the Gulf of Mexico. With sea surface temperatures soaring to nearly 90 degrees, the stage was set for catastrophe. Hurricane Helene underwent rapid intensification just hours before hitting the coast, unleashing more than 15 feet of storm surge on communities including Horseshoe Beach, Steinhatchee and Keaton Beach in Florida. The damage was staggering: Homes were stripped bare, and entire communities faced devastation.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
My original target was Perry, Florida, but that quickly changed when the Taylor County Sheriff’s Department implemented a mandatory curfew specifically targeting storm chasers. They threatened to arrest anyone found on the streets after 7:30 p.m. Sept. 26, the night the hurricane hit, citing safety concerns related to the storm. I experienced this firsthand when a sheriff’s deputy approached me, threatened to arrest me and others just for sitting in a parking lot waiting for the storm to arrive. It was evident storm chasers, weather media and others covering severe weather were not welcome in the county. Law enforcement went so far as to box in cars that were still on the street after curfew, simply to hand out curfew notices and give drivers an earful about compliance.
After my experience in Taylor County, I decided to leave Perry in search of a different, last-minute location to ride out the storm, with landfall just an hour away. I found refuge in Madison, Florida, near I-10, where I rode out the eye of Hurricane Helene. As the storm tore through, it brought down power lines and communication towers, uprooted large trees and turned road signs into airborne missiles. The winds cut off entire communities from essential services. Landfalling hurricanes pose numerous dangers, especially in areas like the Big Bend, where dense tree cover is prevalent. One major risk is losing access to essential resources such as food and gas. Power outages can make it difficult to keep perishables safe and limit access to fuel for generators or vehicles. Additionally, falling trees can block escape routes, particularly in flood-prone areas, trapping residents and complicating evacuation efforts. This combination of factors can leave communities vulnerable and hinder effective recovery in the aftermath of a storm. Once the storm passed, I spent hours clearing trees from roadways, navigating through the debris to help others escape and ensure valuable resources could reach those in need.
Hurricane Helene was the third hurricane to strike the Big Bend region in just 13 months. Though each of these storms brought storm surge, none matched the intensity of Helene. As Helene moved inland, it triggered a deadly flood event that has left North Carolina in crisis. Communities were wiped off the map from record flash flooding, transforming familiar landscapes into unrecognizable swathes of water and debris.
This storm was a wake-up call, and its toll is still being assessed.
One of the most crucial lessons from Helene is the importance of heeding evacuation orders. Countless lives were saved by those who heeded the orders. Communities such as Horseshoe Beach, Steinhatchee and Keaton Beach serve as stark reminders of the power of timely action. We need better communication and resources to ensure people take these threats seriously. Evacuation orders must be issued with urgency, and public awareness campaigns should emphasize the life-and-death stakes involved.
The climate crisis is making storms like Helene more frequent and intense. These events are not anomalies; they’re becoming our new reality. We must invest in resilient infrastructure, bolster emergency response systems and prioritize education on disaster preparedness. Hurricane Helene left an indelible mark on our coastlines and communities. It’s crucial that we come together to address the systemic failures that leave us vulnerable to such disasters. This hurricane season, and every season to follow, we owe it to ourselves and future generations to confront the realities of climate change and invest in a safer, more prepared future.
As a storm chaser, I track these storms to understand them better, but it’s the resilience of the affected communities that truly matters. Let us not just be witnesses to these storms but advocates for meaningful change in how we prepare, respond and adapt.
Jordan Hall is a professional storm chaser with SevereStudios who lives in Norman, Oklahoma. As of Wednesday, he was stationed on the western coast of Florida, awaiting Hurricane Milton. His videos can be seen at jordanhallwx.com.
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