A viral video shared on X claims to show Hurricane Helene striking Florida.
Verdict: False
The claim is false. The video, which was uploaded to YouTube by storm chaser Max Olson in September 2022, shows Hurricane Ian.
Fact Check:
Hurricane Helene made landfall Thursday as a Category 4 storm, according to USA Today. At least one person in Florida has died as a result of the hurricane, the outlet reported.
The X video, which has garnered over 100,000 views as of writing, claims to show Hurricane Helene striking Florida.
“I’ll never understand you idiots that live in Florida in the center of hurricane pathways….,” the video’s caption begins. “This is from Hurricane Helene right now, storm surge is like 15-20ft,” it continues. In the video, both a house and nearby palm trees can be seen submerged in several feet of water.
The claim is false. The original video, which was uploaded to YouTube by Olson in September 2022, shows Hurricane Ian.
“Fifteen-foot storm surge washes away homes in Ft. Myers Beach – Hurricane Ian,” the video’s title reads. “Our surge probe captured the heartbreaking evolution of a massive storm surge in Ft. Myers Beach, FL,” its description follows. The same scene of the house and palm trees submerged in water can be seen in the YouTube video. (RELATED: Will Project 2025 Shut Down The National Hurricane Center?)
Besides YouTube, Olson also shared the video on his personal X account, where he again stated that the content showed Hurricane Ian.
Likewise, Check Your Fact did not find the viral X video referenced in any recent credible news reports about Hurricane Helene. In fact, the opposite is true. On Sept. 26, Lead Stories reported the video showed Hurricane Ian. The outlet also traced the video to Olson’s X and YouTube accounts.
Check Your Fact has contacted Olson for comment.