AccuWeather estimates Hurricane Helene caused $145 to $160 billion in damages, making it one of the costliest U.S. storms, with widespread damages reported across Florida and the southern Appalachians.
A preliminary damage report estimates that Hurricane Helene caused between $145 billion and $160 billion in total damages and economic losses, placing the storm among the costliest in U.S. history.
The projection, issued by AccuWeather, includes damages to homes, businesses, medical facilities, and infrastructure, as well as indirect economic impacts such as job and wage losses, supply chain disruptions, and evacuation costs. The forecast also accounts for both insured and uninsured losses, making it broader in scope than other preliminary assessments from different sources. The figure marks an increase from the group’s initial estimate of $95 billion to $110 billion in damages.
“AccuWeather experts have continually monitored information related to Hurricane Helene from a variety of sources, and unfortunately, upon early surveying of the scale of damage to homes and businesses, the extensive loss of life, injuries, evacuations, rescues and widespread power outages which are likely to last at least weeks in some areas and other factors, we were compelled to increase our estimate,” says the report.
The storm made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane in Florida’s Big Bend region, unleashing powerful winds, storm surges, and widespread flooding that affected several states. The most severe impacts statewide were reported along Florida’s west coast, particularly in the Tampa Bay area, where storm surges of 6 to 10 feet were recorded—surpassing previous records dating back to the 1940s. Extensive water damage to coastal properties significantly contributed to the overall loss estimate, Accuweather reported.
More than one million households across Florida were without power the morning after Helene made landfall, prompting utility providers, including FPL and Duke Energy, to mobilize large-scale restoration efforts.
In addition to Florida, the southern Appalachian region, including Asheville, North Carolina, experienced catastrophic flooding. Many homes and businesses were destroyed or washed away, and critical infrastructure such as bridges and roadways sustained heavy damage.
“The scale of this historic flooding disaster in the southern Appalachians cannot be understated,” the report states. “People really need to understand how serious this flooding has been and the tragic degree of human suffering ongoing now, which may get even worse without proper supplies and infrastructure in the coming days.”
More broadly speaking, over 4.5 million customers nationwide lost power during the storm, with some areas expected to remain without electricity for weeks. The death toll from Hurricane Helene has risen to more than 90, with many people still unaccounted for as search and rescue operations continue.
AccuWeather’s projected losses place Helene among the most destructive storms in recent memory, alongside Hurricane Ian in 2022, which caused an estimated $180 billion to $210 billion in damage, and Hurricane Harvey in 2017, which resulted in $190 billion in losses.