Editing Helena, Alabama (section)

==Geography==
[[Image:Buck Creek Dam at low water IMG 7408.JPG|thumb|left | Buck Creek flows over the dam at Helena, Alabama, during the autumn low-water flow.]] 
Helena is located at {{Coord|33|16|47|N|86|51|22|W|type:city}} (33.279715, -86.856060).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|17.1|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|17.1|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|0.04|sqmi|km2}} (0.12%) is covered by water. The [[Cahaba River]] and its tributary [[Buck Creek (Cahaba River tributary)|Buck Creek]] run through Helena. Buck Creek is dammed upstream of [[Alabama State Route 261]] in the Old Town area to form Lake Davidson. It was used both for recreation and to generate water wheel power at the turn of the 20th century. Fishing, wading, and canoeing are popular uses of both waterways.

Helena sits at the foothills of the very southern extent of the [[Appalachian Mountains]] as they descend into the [[Gulf of Mexico]] coastal plain. The area is largely rolling hills with numerous small streams, and undeveloped areas are primarily mixed woodlands.

Downtown Birmingham is 20&nbsp;mi (32&nbsp;km) north via Alabama Route 261 to [[U.S. Route 31|US-31]] or [[Interstate 65 in Alabama|I-65]].
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===Climate===
The climate of Helena is typical of the [[Deep South]], with long, hot, humid summers and short, relatively mild winters. Summer high temperatures are commonly in the upper 90s and low 100s F; winter lows are usually in the 20s F. Measurable snowfall is rare, occurring only a few times a decade. Thunderstorms are frequent occurrences during the summer.<ref>http://www.weather.gov/climate/local_data.php?wfo=bmx National Weather Service Forecast Office Birmingham, Alabama; Unique Local Climate Data</ref> The Helena area experiences two severe weather peaks, early spring (March–April) and late fall (November), with tornadoes being frequent hazards during both peaks.
<ref>http://www.srh.noaa.gov/bmx/tornadoes/index.php  National Weather Service Forecast Office Birmingham, Alabama; Alabama Tornado Occurrences</ref> Hurricanes coming ashore on the northern Gulf coast occasionally reach Helena with [[tropical storm]]-force winds.

{{Weather box   <!-- Infobox begins -->
| single line = Y
| location    = Helena, Alabama, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 2002&ndash;2021

|Jan record high F = 79
|Feb record high F = 82
|Mar record high F = 89
|Apr record high F = 92
|May record high F = 97
|Jun record high F = 107
|Jul record high F = 105
|Aug record high F = 107
|Sep record high F = 101
|Oct record high F = 102
|Nov record high F = 88
|Dec record high F = 80

|Jan avg record high F = 72.8
|Feb avg record high F = 76.3
|Mar avg record high F = 83.1
|Apr avg record high F = 87.6
|May avg record high F = 93.5
|Jun avg record high F = 98.4
|Jul avg record high F = 99.4
|Aug avg record high F = 99.9
|Sep avg record high F = 95.8
|Oct avg record high F = 89.9
|Nov avg record high F = 77.9
|Dec avg record high F = 75.1
|year avg record high F = 101.7

<!-- Average high temperatures -->
| Jan high F  =54.8
| Feb high F  =60.1
| Mar high F  =68.0
| Apr high F  =76.1
| May high F  =83.4
| Jun high F  =89.6
| Jul high F  =92.2
| Aug high F  =92.0
| Sep high F  =87.2
| Oct high F  =76.3
| Nov high F  =64.9
| Dec high F  =57.0
<!-- Mean daily temperature -->
| Jan mean F  =44.7
| Feb mean F  =49.0
| Mar mean F  =56.5
| Apr mean F  =63.6
| May mean F  =71.9
| Jun mean F  =78.7
| Jul mean F  =81.7
| Aug mean F  =81.1
| Sep mean F  =75.8
| Oct mean F  =64.3
| Nov mean F  =53.3
| Dec mean F  =46.9
<!-- Average low temperatures -->
| Jan low F  =34.6
| Feb low F  =37.8
| Mar low F  =45.0
| Apr low F  =51.2
| May low F  =60.3
| Jun low F  =67.7
| Jul low F  =71.2
| Aug low F  =70.2
| Sep low F  =64.4
| Oct low F  =52.3
| Nov low F  =41.6
| Dec low F  =36.8

|Jan avg record low F = 16.3
|Feb avg record low F = 22.1
|Mar avg record low F = 26.9
|Apr avg record low F = 35.2
|May avg record low F = 45.5
|Jun avg record low F = 59.1
|Jul avg record low F = 63.9
|Aug avg record low F = 62.7
|Sep avg record low F = 51.6
|Oct avg record low F = 36.3
|Nov avg record low F = 24.5
|Dec avg record low F = 22.3
|year avg record low F = 15.1

|Jan record low F = 4
|Feb record low F = 14
|Mar record low F = 19
|Apr record low F = 29
|May record low F = 39
|Jun record low F = 52
|Jul record low F = 56
|Aug record low F = 53
|Sep record low F = 44
|Oct record low F = 28
|Nov record low F = 18
|Dec record low F = 14

<!-- Total precipitation, this should include rain and snow. -->
| precipitation colour    =  green
| Jan precipitation inch  =5.10
| Feb precipitation inch  =5.58
| Mar precipitation inch  =5.34
| Apr precipitation inch  =5.18
| May precipitation inch  =4.15
| Jun precipitation inch  =4.23
| Jul precipitation inch  =4.76
| Aug precipitation inch  =4.42
| Sep precipitation inch  =3.93
| Oct precipitation inch  =3.62
| Nov precipitation inch  =4.66
| Dec precipitation inch  =4.65

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 10.3
|Feb precipitation days = 11.9
|Mar precipitation days = 11.5
|Apr precipitation days = 9.7
|May precipitation days = 9.8
|Jun precipitation days = 11.0
|Jul precipitation days = 12.8
|Aug precipitation days = 11.3
|Sep precipitation days = 7.9
|Oct precipitation days = 7.7
|Nov precipitation days = 8.7
|Dec precipitation days = 10.8

|source 1 = NOAA<ref name = NOAA>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00013781&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Helena, AL
|access-date = March 4, 2023
}}
</ref>
|source 2 = XMACIS2 (mean maxima/minima 2006&ndash;2020)<ref name = XMACIS2>
{{cite web
|url = https://xmacis.rcc-acis.org/
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = xmACIS2
|access-date = March 4, 2023
}}
</ref>
}}