Hurricane Helene is anticipated to be one of the most expensive storms in U.S. history, as officials deal with the aftermath of its devastating impact. As many in the Southeastern United States continue to face outages of running water, cellphone service, and electricity, rescue operations persist to locate those still unaccounted for after the storm struck last week, resulting in over 200 confirmed fatalities across various states.
In the Atlantic, Hurricane Kirk, classified as a Category 4 storm, is generating large swells that could create dangerous surf and rip currents along the U.S. East Coast, Bermuda, the Greater Antilles, and the Bahamas this weekend. Although Kirk is projected to strengthen further, it is expected to stay offshore, with swells anticipated to reach the Leeward Islands by Friday and Bermuda and the Greater Antilles on Saturday.
As of late Thursday night, Hurricane Kirk was located approximately 1,040 miles east-northeast of the Leeward Islands with maximum sustained winds recorded at 145 mph. Currently, there are no coastal watches or warnings in effect.
In addition, Tropical Storm Leslie developed late Wednesday in the eastern Atlantic and has the potential to become a hurricane in the coming days, though it poses no immediate threat to land. As of the latest updates, it was situated about 610 miles west-southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph.
President Biden visited Florida and Georgia on Thursday to assess the extensive damage caused by Hurricane Helene. This visit marks his second consecutive day of surveying hurricane-related destruction, having previously explored the flood damage from Greenville, South Carolina, to Asheville, North Carolina. During these visits, the president announced that the federal government would cover “100%” of debris removal and emergency protective measures in North Carolina for six months, and extend similar support in Florida and Georgia for the upcoming 90 days.