Hurricane (Typhoon) — Echols, Georgia

2024-09-27 to 2024-09-28 · Echols, Georgia

Event narrative

A Weatherstem site in Lake Park measured a wind gust of 90 mph out of the SE at about 1:00 am Friday the 27th. A shelter in place was issued by the county on Thursday Afternoon (26th) ahead of the storm. Approximately 1000 power poles were broken in the county, almost twice of what occurred during Hurricane Idalia in 2023. Widespread trees and powerlines were down throughout the county: described as 'unprecedented historic damage' by EMA. Many roads were blocked by trees and powerlines and many roofs were damaged by both high winds and fallen trees, especially along HWY 129.

Wider weather episode

Hurricane Helene made landfall as a category 4 with peak winds of near 140 mph in the Florida Big

Bend just east of the Aucilla River Entrance in Taylor County, late Thursday evening September 26,

2024. Helene's main impact to southeast Georgia and northeast Florida was wind damage as it

tracked quickly north-northeast. The very powerful hurricane and the forward motion produced a

wide swath of wind damage across the forecast area with peak wind gusts 55 to 75 mph across the

eastern half of the area, and western zones up to 75 to 100 mph from the Suwannee Valley area

northward through interior southeast GA. The max wind gust of 100 mph was measured at the Alma

GA ASOS in the early morning hours of Friday September 27th. Given the strength of these winds,

widespread power outages, structure damage and downed or uprooted trees occurred across inland

southeast GA and portions of northeast FL. At least 1 tornado occurred, which was in Coffee county.

Maximum rainfall amounts of 3 to 5 inches were located over western half of the area.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1217250. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.