In the span of just two weeks, Hurricanes Helene and Milton have become a deadly disaster spanning six states: Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee.
Hurricane Helene made landfall on Sept. 26, 2024. It brought waves of up to 7 feet and, according to the National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service, winds of 140 mph. Catastrophic damage has covered nearly 400 miles on the Gulf coast of Florida, with the most affected areas being Sarasota, Inglis and Yankeetown. At least 230 people have been killed as a result of Hurricane Helene, making it the deadliest hurricane since Katrina in 2005.
Helene also dumped over 30 inches of rain on North Carolina, the state’s largest flood in recorded history. Part-time weather instructor Jacob Dickey says that this severe flooding and damage is not something that North Carolina has experienced in over a century. “This was the first time since 1917 that North Carolina has been hit this hard,” he says. He also mentions how this has had an impact on the death toll in North Carolina, as many people there were not familiar with nor had experienced severe weather such as Hurricane Helene. “People are not necessarily able to hear the forecast and relate to it,” he says.
Amid the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Hurricane Milton made landfall on Oct. 9, 2024, near Siesta Key Florida – a barrier island off the southwest coast. The winds of Hurricane Milton topped 180 mph, causing deadly tornadoes among Palm Beach Gardens, Loxahatchee and the Acreage in Florida. There were 38 eyewitness accounts of tornadoes, with at least a dozen confirmed. The current death tolls for Hurricane Milton are 25 deaths in Florida, 17 deaths in Georgia, 95 deaths in North Carolina, 14 deaths in Virginia and 17 deaths in Tennessee.
Though Illinois wasn’t directly hit, it still felt the ripple effects of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. These powerful storms have brought strong winds and heavy rainfall to Central Illinois. Dickey mentions, however, how Central Illinois may have benefited from the heavy rain. “We have been in a drought and the hurricanes brought us meaningful rain to slow the progression of the drought,” he says. “We had spots of 1 to 2 inches of rain. We had some wind, a couple of trees down here and there but nothing severe.”
Dickey went on to talk about how some students in his Introduction to Weather class at Parkland have experience with this type of weather. For some, it has played a large role in driving them to study weather and meteorology. “I know one gal that lost her home in a flood and another one that lost theirs in a tornado,” he says.
The outpouring of support from Central Illinois is also significant, with many people wanting to help those affected by the hurricanes. Residents of Champaign-Urbana can help by donating money, food and other useful items through the following locations:
- Eastern Illinois Foodbank: 2405 North Shore Drive, Urbana, IL 61802
- One Hope United: 3414 Big Pine Trail, Champaign, IL 61822
- American Red Cross: 1807 S Neil St, Champaign, IL 61820
