Hurricane Helene was the deadliest tropical cyclone in the continental U.S. in 19 years and ranks among the nation's costliest weather disasters, just two findings of a just-released final report from the National Hurricane Center.

The National Hurricane Center has released its final report on Helene, the storm that tore through western North Carolina six months ago.

A week away from the six-month anniversary of Hurricane Helene, the National Hurricane Center has released its report on the horrific storm, finding it claimed the lives of 248 people and caused $78.7 billion in damage.