Storm Alert – September 27, 2024 – Tropical Storm Helene

As Tropical Storm Helene moves inland over the Southeast, it continues to disrupt fuel infrastructure across affected regions. Helene made landfall Thursday night as a powerful Category 4 hurricane in Florida's Big Bend, bringing 140-mph winds and record-setting storm surges. While Helene has now been downgraded to a tropical storm, severe flash flooding, damaging winds, and widespread power outages are continuing to impact operations. Power outages caused by Helene have left over 3 million customers without power across South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.

All Savannah terminals are closed due to severe flooding and power outages. Tampa terminals are back open after shutting down due to power outages and flooding. Diesel availability in the Panhandle remains a concern, but efforts are being made to bring those terminals back online as soon as possible. Outside of Florida, there are no southeast supply concerns; rather, power outages for local terminals are the main concern.

Helene continues to move northward at 30 mph, bringing damaging winds and flash flooding to northern Georgia and the Carolinas. Tornado warnings have been issued in parts of South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia, further impacting operations in these regions. Due to high wind speeds, deliveries today are severely limited in the affected markets. Mansfield requests proactive notifications from customers regarding their operational status (closing or opening over the weekend). This will help us coordinate deliveries effectively.

Florida remains in Code Red, requiring a minimum 72-hour lead time for delivery requests. Georgia, Alabama, and now South Carolina are in Code Orange, with a 48-hour lead time requested for new orders. With the heavy rains and flooding, ensure your fuel tanks are free of water to prevent any damage or operational issues. For more information on what to do after the storm has passed, please read our What to Do After the Storm FUELSNews guide.

We will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updates as necessary. Please reach out with any questions or specific operational needs. Stay safe.