Marking 65 years since Hurricane Helene brought Wilmington’s strongest wind gust ever

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Hurricane Hazel stands out as the most destructive Cape Fear storm of the 1950s.

But another storm passed by 65 years ago, on September 27, 1958, making its way into the record books.

Hurricane Helene didn’t make landfall in the area, coming within 20 miles of the coast.

Even so, the category four hurricane caused a 135 mph wind gust at the Wilmington airport, the all-time strongest wind gust on record.

Despite the glancing blow, Helene caused significant damage along the immediate coast.