WASHINGTON – As communities are still picking up the pieces from Hurricane Helene, shipping services continue to report altered operations as the U.S. heads into the holiday season.
The once-Category 4 hurricane made landfall along Florida’s Gulf Coast on Sept. 29, forcing FedEx, UPS and the U.S. Postal Service to significantly alter operations after the storm.
At the peak of the destruction, operations were affected in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina and North Carolina, but most have since been restored.
FedEx warns that even though they returned to normal operations following hurricanes Helene and Milton, some communities in North Carolina may still experience service delays and disruptions.
Impacted service territories include 28720, 28710 and 28746, which are located in the Asheville-Hendersonville area.
UPS advisories are similar, indicating that pickup and delivery service delays may occur in the Chimney Rock and Lake Lure areas of western North Carolina.
The United States Postal Service reported more extensive impacts on operations.
“Where retail and delivery units remain inaccessible, we have relocated operations to nearby units and are further deploying mobile retail units to make sure we can provide retail and delivery services to impacted communities as quickly as possible. We remain committed to delivering mail wherever it’s feasible and safe, constantly adjusting our operations for a swift restoration of services,” a USPS service alert stated.