It did start out very tight. The original eyewall was only 4 miles in diameter. As it gets closer to florida, the vertical wind shear will spread the storm out, reducing the peak windspeeds, but making it affect a much larger area.
You’re comparing a storm that’s really just getting started to what you saw of Helene’s peak. By the time of landfall they will look more similar.
It did start out very tight. The original eyewall was only 4 miles in diameter. As it gets closer to florida, the vertical wind shear will spread the storm out, reducing the peak windspeeds, but making it affect a much larger area.
You’re comparing a storm that’s really just getting started to what you saw of Helene’s peak. By the time of landfall they will look more similar.