Tropical Storm in Florida, September 21 to 23, 2000

Tropical Storm Helene made landfall near Fort Walton Beach during the late morning hours of Friday, September 22, 2000. Helene quickly weakened to a tropical depression Friday afternoon as it accelerated northeast into southeast Alabama. Storm total rainfall ranged from a half inch at Perry and to 9.56 inches at Apalachicola, Florida. The highest sustained wind of 30 mph with a peak gust of 45 mph was recorded at Cape San Blas. The lowest sea-level pressure was 1011 mb at Panama City. Coastal storm tides of two feet or less above astronomical tide levels were common, with only minor beach erosion reported. The torrential rainfall caused extensive flooding throughout Franklin, Wakulla and Leon counties. The flooding prompted city and county officials to close schools, universities and public offices and kept emergency crews busy rescuing stranded motorists. Utility crews worked diligently to restore power to homes, and clearing streets and county roads of storm debris. Numerous homes along the Sopchoppy River in Wakulla County were flooded, with secondary and county roads washed out. The river crested at 34.9 feet, breaking the record of 34 feet in 1970. Numerous homes in northern Wakulla County were affected when sinkholes backed up with flood waters. Flooding was also reported at Walker Crossing and at the Wildwood Golf Course near Medart. Nearly 70 streets in Tallahassee were impassable due to high water. Over 100 homes in Leon County were affected by flood waters. 50 residents were evacuated from the flooded Carriage Estates mobile home park and another 20 were rescued from the Sandpebble Apartments in Tallahassee. Scattered power outages left 5,000 homes without electricity in Leon and Wakulla counties when water-logged tree limbs were blown into power lines. Minor flooding was reported in Bay, Jefferson, Calhoun, Madison and Gulf counties.Numerous tornadoes were reported. In Franklin County, brief touchdowns at Alligator Point, Eastpoint and in several rural wooded areas. In Wakulla County, two touchdowns, of which one destroyed several mobile homes. In Jefferson County, two touchdowns which damaged two mobile homes, a barn and vehicle. The counties of Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gulf, Jefferson, Leon and Wakulla were declared federal disaster areas.