### Hurricane Helene Brings Catastrophic Flooding and Devastates Southern Appalachians

Hurricane Helene, which made landfall in Florida's Big Bend as a Category 4 storm late Thursday, has wreaked havoc while progressing through Tennessee and into Kentucky, bringing unprecedented flooding to the southern Appalachian region. The storm initially hit near Perry, Florida, at approximately 11:10 p.m. EDT on Thursday, with its destructive path quickly extending to other states.

The storm's toll has been tragic, with at least 41 fatalities reported across four states, including the deaths of two firefighters in South Carolina. The relentless advance of Helene through Florida and Georgia before heading north has resulted in significant disruptions and widespread damage.

In anticipation of the hurricane, Tampa International Airport shut down operations to the public at 2 a.m. EDT Thursday, though it reopened by Friday morning. Fortunately, the airport did not sustain major damage. However, the air travel disruptions have been extensive, with hundreds of flights either canceled or delayed across multiple airports. Major affected hubs include Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, and Asheville Regional Airport, according to FlightAware.

Hurricane Helene is the eighth named storm in the current Atlantic hurricane season. The storm followed closely on the heels of Hurricane Francine, which made landfall in Louisiana as a Category 2 hurricane on September 11. Initially, forecasters from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had predicted a particularly intense storm season, expecting up to 25 named storms and 13 hurricanes. Despite these ominous projections, the season has been less active than anticipated.