Hurricane-force winds toppled trees and knocked out power in the Savannah area Friday morning, even though the center of what had weakened to Tropical Storm Helene stayed more than 150 miles to the west of the city.
That was no surprise to weather experts.
“Typically, the right side of a hurricane is stronger and usually more dangerous,” Georgia State Climatologist Bill Murphey explained in a phone interview Friday. “That’s right where you were.”
As the storm swirled counterclockwise Wednesday morning, the Savannah area ended up in the path of strong Atlantic winds moving onshore unimpeded, resulting in some of the strongest Helene-fueled readings in Georgia.
“The friction over land gradually slows down the wind as you move farther inland,” said Jonathan Lamb, a meteorologist in the Charleston office of the National Weather Service .
Gusts of 76 mph were recorded at Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport at 3:51 a.m., according to the weather service.
Wind speeds of 70 mph were detected on Skidaway Island at 2:56 a.m. and South Tybee Island at 4:26 a.m. Fort Pulaski experienced 68 mph gusts at 4:36 a.m.