Hurricane Helene Update – Sept. 27, 2024, 1321z

Updated Sept. 27, 2024, 1321z

• Overview
• Update from the National Hurricane Center
• Airport & Equipment Information
• Route Information
• Operational Resources
• NBAA’s HERO Database

Overview

Hurricane Helene was downgraded overnight to a tropical storm after making landfall. Helene is currently approximately 80 miles Northeast of Atlanta, GA. As the storm continues to weaken, wind gusts are expected to peak around 50 mph, with slight reductions through the day as the storm runs out of steam.

Gusty winds and constant showers are expected for much of the Southeast, bringing possible flash flooding to much of the region. Along the Big Bend area in Florida, storm surge continues to push inland as several feet of water rushes over banks and beaches.

At local air traffic facilities, TPA has been reopened, with PIE remaining closed until 17z. Further North, AVL and AGS towers are ATC zero, but the airports remain open.

Update from the National Hurricane Center

According to the National Hurricane Center’s Advisory #16A, issued at 1200z:

At 800 AM EDT (1200 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Helene was located near latitude 34.2 North, longitude 83.0 West. Helene is moving toward the north near 30 mph (48 km/h). Helene is expected to turn northwestward and slow down over the Tennessee Valley later
today and Saturday.

Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 60 mph (95 km/h) with higher gusts. Continued weakening is expected, and Helene is expected to become a post-tropical low this afternoon or tonight. However, damaging wind gusts will penetrate far inland across the
southeastern United States, including over the higher terrain of the southern Appalachians.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 275 miles (445 km) mainly to the east of the center. An observation in Brasstown Bald, Georgia recently reported a wind gust of 72 mph (116 km/h). An observation in Dewees Island, South Carolina, recently reported a sustained wind of 46 mph (74 km/h) and a gust of 62 mph (100 km/h).

The minimum central pressure based on surface observations is 972 mb (28.70 inches).

Airport & Equipment Information

Protective Shutdowns

Gulf of Mexico:

Gulf of Mexico, MX (DSF) GBTS

Florida:

Tampa, FL (VDF) RWY 23 (VDF) LOC/GS.
Tampa, FL (TPA) RWY 19R (JRT) LOC/GS.
Tampa, FL (TPA) RWY 01R (TWJ) LOC.
Tampa, FL (TPA) RWY 19L (TPA) LOC/GS.
Tampa, FL (TPA) RWY 01L (AMP) LOC/GS.
Tampa, FL (TPA) ASR.
Gainesville, FL (GNV) ASR/MODES.
Tallahassee, FL (TLH) ASR/MODES.
Tallahassee, FL (TLHT) TISB.
Whitehouse, FL (NEN) NDAG.
Jacksonville, FL (ZJX) ADSS.
Jacksonville, FL (JAX) ASR/MODES.

Georgia:

shburn, GA (QHN) ARSR/ATCRB.
Waycross, GA (AYS) MALSR.

Unscheduled System Failures

Florida:

Daytona Beach, FL (DAB/DBF) RWY 07L/25R MALSRs.
Ft Meyers, FL (FMY) RTDS.
Gainesville, FL (GNV) RVR.
Greenville, FL (GEF) VOR.
Jacksonville, FL (SPG) GBTS.
Jacksonville, FL (24J) GBT.
Jacksonville, FL (FZG) GBTS.
Jacksonville, FL (JAXT) TISB.
Jacksonville, FL (CRG) VRS.
Key West, FL (EYW) RWY 27 (EYWA) PAPI.
Perry, FL (QPE) ECOM 127.8.
Perry, FL (FPY) GBTS.PERRY, FL (QPE) ECOM 127.8.
Orlando, FL (ORL) NDAG.
St Petersburg, FL (PIE) TACAN.
West Palm Beack, FL (PBI) CHILLER.
Cross City, FL (CTYU) RDAT/BDAT.
Dunnellon, FL (X35) BUECS.
Marathon, FL (MTH) FCOM 122.6..
Jacksonville, FL (JAX) ECOM 134.85.
Gainesville, FL (GNV) BUECS.

Georgia:

Waycross, GA (AYS) BUECS.
Hunter Army, GA (SVN) ECOM 127.65.
Hunter Army, GA (SVN) FDAT.
Valdosta, GA (VLD) ECOM 135.62, 133.7.
Brunswick, GA (BQK) ECOM 120.12, 126.75.
Robins Island, GA (WRB) RTADS.

North Carolina:

Charlotte, NC (CLT) WAMS.
Hendersonville, NC (0A7) GBTS.

South Carolina:

Electric City, SC (ELW) BUECS.
Owings, SC (QMN) ECOM 317.8.
Winnsboro, SC (FDW) GBTS.

Alabama

Huntsville, AL (RQZ) TACAN.

Route Information

There are currently no reroutes to Florida or to Southeastern terminals or facilities.

Operational Resources

• National Hurricane Center
• FAA OIS page
• CADENA OIS page
• FAA Advisory Database
• FAA Current Reroutes
• FAA NOTAM Search

NBAA’s HERO Database

The NBAA Humanitarian Emergency Response Operator (HERO) Database is a list of people in the business aviation community who are part of disaster-response mobilization efforts. In the aftermath of major crises, basic information from the database is provided to organizations coordinating relief efforts. Learn more and register.