Preliminary estimates from AccuWeather place the total damage and economic loss caused by Hurricane Helene between $95 billion and $110 billion, making it one of the most costly storms in U.S. history. The devastating storm surge, powerful winds, and historic flooding—particularly along Florida’s west coast and in the southern Appalachians—are significant contributors to this estimate.
These figures are preliminary, as the storm’s full impact is still unfolding and not all areas have reported complete damage assessments.
AccuWeather, which provided early warnings about Helene’s potential for widespread destruction, accurately predicted the storm would make landfall as a Category 4 hurricane near Florida’s Big Bend. Helene brought a storm surge of up to 23 feet, likened to a tsunami, and caused severe flooding across the region.
“Helene was a large and extremely powerful storm, with wind gusts of hurricane force extending far out from the center through the Florida Peninsula and a devastating, even record storm surge all along the Gulf Coast of Florida as the storm headed northward over the eastern Gulf of Mexico,” said AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter. “After landfall, with the storm moving rapidly northward, hurricane conditions continued well northward into Georgia, with major metropolitan areas like Atlanta experiencing damaging winds and flooding rains. Catastrophic impacts also extended into the southern Appalachians, where flash flooding continues as does the risk of dam failures in some areas. AccuWeather is forecasting a Local StormMax™ of 36 inches of rain. At least 40 deaths have been attributed to Helene thus far.”
AccuWeather was the first to issue a forecast for Helene, giving a 19-hour lead time ahead of other sources, including the National Hurricane Center. The storm left over 4.5 million customers without power, with some facing extended outages due to downed trees and blocked roads, hampering recovery efforts.
AccuWeather also rated Helene as a 4 on its RealImpact™ Scale for Hurricanes, which considers a range of factors beyond just wind speed, such as flooding, storm surge, and total economic damage. This scale better communicates the full scope of threats posed by major storms like Helene.
Helene joins the ranks of other historic storms, including Hurricane Ian (2022), which caused up to $210 billion in damage, Harvey (2017) at $190 billion, and Katrina (2005), which caused $320 billion (adjusted for inflation).
The storm caused widespread power outages, extensive damage to homes and businesses, and major disruptions to travel and infrastructure. Flooding in the southern Appalachians washed out roads, and many communities in western North Carolina remain inaccessible due to severe flooding.
AccuWeather’s estimates cover damage to homes, businesses, roads, and vehicles, as well as power outages leading to food spoilage and interruptions in medical care. The total also factors in job and wage losses, supply chain disruptions, and the long-term effects on tourism, transportation, and health, among other indirect impacts.
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