Helene: A Storm to Remember
They said it would be bad, but no one expected this
When I first heard the news about a tropical disturbance churning in the western Caribbean in September, I wasn’t overly concerned since it wasn’t reported as huge or terrifying. But the disturbance soon became a tropical storm, then was designated as a Category 4 hurricane named Helene.
As the storm gained power, the forecasters became increasingly worried. I’ve lived through blizzards in New Hampshire and hurricanes in Florida before, but this time, the reports were scarier because I’m older and less resilient.
I was glued to the Weather Channel, watching for every wobble of the dark red center, checking all the multi-colored spaghetti models. The predictions varied in the details, but the overall message was the same: Hurricane Helene was a 400-mile-wide, churning, powerful beast.
Though not predicted to be a direct hit on the Tampa Bay area, its counterclockwise spin was predicted to create tide surges six to ten feet higher than normal. That spelled disaster for the many low-lying beachfront and waterfront properties. Many residents in the flood zone areas evacuated, but many chose to stay. People rushed to stock up on food and water and to fill their vehicles with gas.
