Hurricane Helene On Track To Impact These Major Cities

Big Waves Under Cloudy Skyhttps://climate-crisis-247-bucket.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/08003938/753619-1-150x150.jpg

The eighth named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, Hurricane Helene made landfall along the Gulf Coast late Thursday. While Helene is forecasted to plow directly through some of the nation’s largest southern cities – including Tallahassee, Huntsville, Atlanta, and Nashville – impacts of the hurricane could be felt as far north as the Jersey Shore.

Nationwide, there are currently 226 counties under hurricane, flood, or storm surge warnings or advisories, representing 10.5% of the U.S. population. A closer look at the data reveals a potentially devastating hurricane on track to reach some of the nation’s largest metropolises.

To determine the major cities on track for impact from Hurricane Helene, Climate Crisis 247 reviewed data on current weather warnings from the National Weather Service of the NOAA. Cities whose boundaries intersect with hurricane, flood, or storm surge warnings or advisories as of September 26, 2024 were ranked by total population. City population, housing unit, and spatial boundary data is from the U.S. Census Bureau.

25. Largo, FL

Pevels / Serge Lavoie

  • Weather hazard: Storm Surge Warning
  • Date issued: September 25, 2024
  • Total housing units: 46,408
  • Total population: 82,541
 

24. Town 'n' Country, FL

Pexels / Harrison Haines

  • Weather hazard: Storm Surge Warning
  • Date issued: September 25, 2024
  • Total housing units: 36,027
  • Total population: 89,456
 

23. Palm Coast, FL

Pexels / NordHorizon

  • Weather hazard: Coastal Flood Warning
  • Date issued: September 25, 2024
  • Total housing units: 40,591
  • Total population: 91,082

22. Roswell, GA

Pexels / Tom Fisk

  • Weather hazard: Flood Warning
  • Date issued: September 25, 2024
  • Total housing units: 37,715
  • Total population: 92,770

21. Toms River, NJ

Pexels / GEORGE DESIPRIS

  • Weather hazard: Coastal Flood Advisory
  • Date issued: September 25, 2024
  • Total housing units: 38,768
  • Total population: 92,827
 

20. Asheville, NC

Pexels / ALTEREDSNAPS

  • Weather hazard: Flood Warning
  • Date issued: September 25, 2024
  • Total housing units: 48,302
  • Total population: 93,695
 

19. Riverview, FL

Pexels / Ledii Photography

  • Weather hazard: Flood Warning
  • Date issued: September 25, 2024
  • Total housing units: 38,532
  • Total population: 102,467
 

18. Brandon, FL

Pexels / Roman Biernacki

  • Weather hazard: Flood Warning
  • Date issued: September 25, 2024
  • Total housing units: 48,043
  • Total population: 114,923
 

17. Spring Hill, FL

Pexels / Markus Winkler

  • Weather hazard: Hurricane Warning
  • Date issued: September 25, 2024
  • Total housing units: 48,193
  • Total population: 116,882
 

16. Wilmington, NC

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels

  • Weather hazard: Coastal Flood Advisory
  • Date issued: September 25, 2024
  • Total housing units: 59,406
  • Total population: 116,933
 

15. Clearwater, FL

Pexels / Nico Becker

  • Weather hazard: Storm Surge Warning
  • Date issued: September 25, 2024
  • Total housing units: 60,600
  • Total population: 116,984
 

14. Athens, GA

Pexels / Magda Ehlers

  • Weather hazard: Flood Warning
  • Date issued: September 25, 2024
  • Total housing units: 55,166
  • Total population: 126,672

13. Gainesville, FL

Pexels / David Kouakou

  • Weather hazard: Hurricane Warning
  • Date issued: September 25, 2024
  • Total housing units: 63,929
  • Total population: 142,414
 

11. Alexandria, VA

Pexels / Nikola Tomašić

  • Weather hazard: Coastal Flood Advisory
  • Date issued: September 25, 2024
  • Total housing units: 80,253
  • Total population: 157,594
 

10. Mobile, AL

Pexels / Kaushal Moradiya

  • Weather hazard: Coastal Flood Advisory
  • Date issued: September 25, 2024
  • Total housing units: 90,922
  • Total population: 186,316
 

9. Tallahassee, FL

Pexels / Guilherme Christmann

  • Weather hazard: Hurricane Warning
  • Date issued: September 25, 2024
  • Total housing units: 93,499
  • Total population: 198,259
 

8. Cape Coral, FL

Pexels / Lachlan Ross

  • Weather hazard: Storm Surge Warning
  • Date issued: September 25, 2024
  • Total housing units: 93,318
  • Total population: 198,912
 

7. Montgomery, AL

Pexels / Helena Jankovičová Kováčová

  • Weather hazard: Flood Warning
  • Date issued: September 25, 2024
  • Total housing units: 93,743
  • Total population: 199,819
 

6. Columbus, GA

Pexels / SpaceX

  • Weather hazard: Hurricane Warning
  • Date issued: September 25, 2024
  • Total housing units: 90,488
  • Total population: 204,572
 

5. Arlington, VA

Pexels / Chris F

  • Weather hazard: Coastal Flood Advisory
  • Date issued: September 25, 2024
  • Total housing units: 119,247
  • Total population: 235,845
 

4. St. Petersburg, FL

Pexels / GEORGE DESIPRIS

  • Weather hazard: Storm Surge Warning
  • Date issued: September 25, 2024
  • Total housing units: 139,752
  • Total population: 259,343
 

3. Tampa, FL

Pexels / Yevgen Buzuk

  • Weather hazard: Storm Surge Warning
  • Date issued: September 25, 2024
  • Total housing units: 172,995
  • Total population: 388,768
 

2. Washington, DC

Pexels / Helena Jankovičová Kováčová

  • Weather hazard: Coastal Flood Advisory
  • Date issued: September 25, 2024
  • Total housing units: 350,372
  • Total population: 670,587
 

1. Jacksonville, FL

Pexels / Quang Nguyen Vinh

  • Weather hazard: Coastal Flood Warning
  • Date issued: September 25, 2024
  • Total housing units: 414,089
  • Total population: 950,203
 


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