GeoColor True Color daytime, multispectral IR at night 26 Sep 2024 – 07:10 UTC
Hurricane Helene brought heavy rains and winds to Cuba and is now moving toward Florida. While flooding and damage are being reported in Cuba, the United States is preparing for the storm.
Impact on Cuba
Helene hit Cuba as a tropical storm, leaving significant amounts of rainfall, especially in the western provinces. More than 100 millimeters of rain were recorded in 44 locations in the last 24 hours, particularly in Pinar del Río and Isla de la Juventud. The heaviest rainfall was recorded in the Herradura reservoir, with 218.4 millimeters. This caused flooding and crop damage, especially in the agriculturally important region of Pinar del Río, where banana plantations and other crops were destroyed.
In addition to the rainfall, strong winds with gusts of up to 88 km/h were measured at the Isabel Rubio station in Pinar del Río. Wind speeds of between 70 and 79 km/h were also reported in the towns of San Juan and Martínez as well as Santa Lucía.
The Cuban weather service (Insmet) warned that heavy rains and strong gusts could continue until Thursday. There were also warnings of dangerous waves and possible flooding on the southern coast, especially on Isla de la Juventud and the surrounding island groups.
Threat to Florida
While Cuba continues to be affected by the storm’s tail end, preparations in the U.S. are focused on Florida’s Gulf Coast, which could be directly hit by Hurricane Helene in the next few days. The storm could make landfall on Thursday as a Category 3 hurricane with winds in excess of 111 mph (178 km/h) and produce a dangerous storm surge of up to 15 feet (4.6 meters). Parts of Florida, Georgia and Alabama are already under hurricane and tropical storm warnings, and evacuations are being ordered. Coastal regions, including Sarasota and Charlotte County, as well as long-term medical facilities and schools, are particularly affected.
The governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, called on the population in a press conference to take their hurricane preparations seriously. Many residents of the endangered regions are already securing their homes and filling sandbags to protect themselves from the coming floods. They are also advised to prepare for possible power outages lasting up to a week.
Hurricane Helene shows how vulnerable both Cuba and parts of the United States are to extreme weather conditions. While Cuba is already battling heavy rains and gusty winds, Florida is facing an even stronger storm that could cause major damage to infrastructure and agriculture.
