![]() ![]() Despite the storm's poor organization, Helene gradually intensified in favorable conditions generated by the large anticyclone. The US Weather Bureau issued their first advisory on the newly developed tropical storm at 1600 UTC later that day, giving the storm the name Helene. At 0000 UTC on September 23, the depression attained tropical storm strength, with maximum winds of 40 mph (64 km/h) and a central minimum pressure of 1,013 mbar (1,013 hPa 29.9 inHg). A second reconnaissance flight reported an intensified tropical cyclone, indicating that the storm system had reached tropical storm strength. However, a large upper tropospheric anticyclone developed over the southern Atlantic coast, producing the favorable wind shear needed for tropical cyclone development. Moving on a west-northwest track at roughly 20 mph (32 km/h) early on September 22, the storm initially changed little in intensity. At the time, the depression had maximum sustained winds of 30 mph (48 km/h). In HURDAT, the tropical wave was first classified as a tropical depression at 0600 UTC on September 21, well east of the Leeward Antilles. At 0200 UTC later that day, the United States Weather Bureau office in San Juan, Puerto Rico began issuing bulletins on the system for public interests. Early the following day, a reconnaissance flight reported evidence of a weak circulation, with gusts of 35 mph (56 km/h) in heavy squalls surrounding the circulation center. On September 20, ships in the system's vicinity reported widespread shower activity and generally low barometric pressures. Moving towards the west due to trade winds associated with the Hadley cell, the disturbance gradually intensified. The origins of Hurricane Helene can be traced back to an easterly wave that formed near Cape Verde on September 16. Total damages associated with Helene in the United States and Canada amounted to $11.4 million, making Helene the costliest storm of the season.Įxtratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression Damage across there totaled to at least C$100,000. At Helene's landfall in Newfoundland, strong gusts peaking at 82 mph (132 km/h) in Naval Station Argentia were reported, and loss of power severed communications. Power outages cut most communications from the island to the mainland, and property damage in Sydney, Nova Scotia totaled to C$100,000. In Cape Breton Island on Nova Scotia, the storm was considered the worst in at least 21 years. After impacting the US, Helene produced strong winds and heavy rain across much of Atlantic Canada. In the United States, damages reached $11.2 million and there was one indirect death. Though mostly concentrated in North Carolina, rainfall was widespread, reaching as far north as Maine. A weather station in Wilmington, North Carolina reported a wind gust of 135 mph (217 km/h), setting a new record for fastest wind gust reported there. Strong winds resulted in widespread power outages, cutting telecommunications along the coast. Helene's extratropical remnants traversed eastwards across the Atlantic Ocean before dissipating near Great Britain on October 4.ĭespite not making landfall on North Carolina, its close proximity to land caused extensive damage across the US East Coast. Accelerating northward, Helene gradually weakened, and transitioned into an extratropical cyclone as it passed over Newfoundland on September 29. The intense hurricane came within 10 mi (16 km) of Cape Fear, North Carolina before recurving out to sea. Nearing the United States East Coast, the hurricane quickly attained Category 4 intensity on September 26, before it subsequently reached its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph (240 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 930 mbar (930 hPa 27 inHg). As conditions became increasingly favorable for tropical cyclone development, Helene began to rapidly intensify. Moving steadily westward, the storm slowly intensified, attaining hurricane strength on September 24. The eighth tropical storm and fourth hurricane of the year, Helene was formed from a tropical wave east of the Lesser Antilles on September 21, 1958. Hurricane Helene was the most intense tropical cyclone of the 1958 Atlantic hurricane season. Part of the 1958 Atlantic hurricane season United States East Coast, Atlantic Canada, British Isles Radar image of Hurricane Helene on September 27, 1958 ![]()
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