Hurricane Helene batters Florida as Category 4 storm nears landfall

by admin 2 days ago

Hurricane Helene is moments away from making landfall in

‘Hundreds may die’: Sheriff issues dire warning

Taylor County Sheriff Wayne Padgett told NBC News that around 200 residents who are refusing to evacuate low-lying regions close to the coast could die.

‘If you’re just bound and determined to stay and not get out of harm’s way, go and take a black magic marker, write your name, your Social Security number, everything on your arm and we can identify you.

‘I don’t like telling people that, but it is going on. That’s a death threat because you’re looking at, they’re calling for 18- or 20- foot storm surge. We have never had a storm surge like this in this county.’

Helene’s path of destruction revealed

Hurricane Helene is set to make landfall as a Category 4 tropical storm around 7pm Thursday, with predicted wind speeds of up to 132mph.

DailyMail.com tracks its full trajectory below:

Monster waves have been seen crashing over trucks amid the tropical cyclone

National Guard deployed in Georgia amid ‘state of emergency’

Florida Governor Brian Kemp has authorized 500 National Guardsmen to prepare for Hurricane Helene.

He told a press conference on Thursday that the storm is set to reach south Georgia by Thursday evening, scouring the state until it reaches the north through Friday morning.

A state of emergency was declared for all 159 counties in Georgia earlier this week in anticipation of the storm.

Helene causing major blackouts in the south

More than 114,000 households in Florida have lost power as Hurricane Helene closes in, according to PowerOutage.us.

The Category 3 storm has not yet made landfall, but the strong winds and rain it is bringing have downed power lines already.

More than 13,000 households have lost power in Georgia, and more than 20,000 in North Carolina.

Stranded jet-skier in dramatic rescue op

A stranded jet-skier has been rescued from surging waters off the Florida coast amid Hurricane Helene.

Dramatic footage shows the moment first responders pull the struggling skier out of the water.

Breaking:Hurricane Helene has reached Category 3 status

Helene has intensified to a Category 3 hurricane, with sustained winds of 120mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Category 3 storms are defined as those which bring ‘devastating damage’ to ‘well-built homes’, trees, and roads.

Electricity and water will likely be unavailable for several days to weeks after the storm passes in the impacted areas.

Helene is expected to generate even more strength before making landfall in Florida’s Big Bend on Thursday evening.

Update: Helene’s location

The hurricane is now 195 miles southwest of Tampa, moving northeast at 16 mph

This image obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows Hurricane Helene on September 26, 2024, at 17:51 UTC. Parts of Florida face "unsurvivable" conditions when Hurricane Helene hits later Thursday, the US weather service said, warning that howling wind will drive destructive waves and storm surge as high as 20 feet (six meters) onto the low-lying coast. Residents heeded mass evacuation orders and fled ahead of the incoming hurricane -- projected to be one of the largest Gulf of Mexico storms in decades. (Photo by Handout / NOAA/GOES / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / NOAA/GOES" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS (Photo by HANDOUT/NOAA/GOES/AFP via Getty Images)

Florida and South Carolina losing power

People living in Florida and South Carolina have already started losing power
In FL, there are 66,800 households without electricity
And there are 11,000 without power in SC
These numbers are expected to grow as Helene attacks tonight

Watch: Cars struggle to pass along shakey Florida bridge ahead of the hurricane

Florida’s coastline wind picks up

Waves are seen impacting a house seawall in Eastpoint, Florida, as Hurricane Helene intensifies before its expected landfall on the Big Bend.

Waves impact a house seawall as Hurricane Helene intensifies before its expected landfall on Florida's Big Bend, in Eastpoint, Florida, U.S. September 26, 2024. REUTERS/Marco Bello

‘Preparations to protect your life and property needs to be complete NOW,’ NHC says

Helene is on the brink of being named a major hurricane, the National Hurricane Center said in an update at 1:48pm EST
The storm has strengthened even more before hitting Florida’s Big Bend
The NHC said: ‘Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion’

Breaking:South Carolina: ‘This is the most significant weather event in the modern era’

The National Weather Service for Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina, issued an urgent warning on Thursday afternoon.

They said: ‘This will be one of the most significant weather events to happen in the western portions of the area in the modern era.

‘Record flooding is forecasted and has been compared to the floods of 1916 in the Asheville area.

‘We plead with everyone that you take every single weather warning very seriously through the entirety of this event as impacts will be life-threatening and make sure to have multiple ways to receive the alerts.’

Preparing for the 20ft storm surge: Businesses board up their shops

Business owners in Mayo, Florida – between Tallahassee and Jacksonville – are seen covering the windows of shops with plywood ahead of the chaos.

epa11626600 People cover windows with plywood as the town prepares for Hurricane Helene in Mayo, Florida, USA, 26 September 2024. Hurricane Helene is strengthening as it moves toward the U.S. Gulf Coast becoming a Category 1 hurricane and is expected to hit Florida's Big Bend late today as Category 4 storm. Around 32 million people are under flood watches. EPA/CRISTOBAL HERRERA-ULASHKEVICH

epa11626599 People cover windows with plywood as the town prepares for Hurricane Helene in Mayo, Florida, USA, 26 September 2024. Hurricane Helene is strengthening as it moves toward the U.S. Gulf Coast becoming a Category 1 hurricane and is expected to hit Florida's Big Bend late today as Category 4 storm. Around 32 million people are under flood watches. EPA/CRISTOBAL HERRERA-ULASHKEVICH

epa11626602 People cover windows with plywood as the town prepares for Hurricane Helene in Mayo, Florida, USA, 26 September 2024. Hurricane Helene is strengthening as it moves toward the U.S. Gulf Coast becoming a Category 1 hurricane and is expected to hit Florida's Big Bend late today as Category 4 storm. Around 32 million people are under flood watches. EPA/CRISTOBAL HERRERA-ULASHKEVICH

Hurricane Helene causes travel chaos

As of 2pm EST, nearly 20,000 flights have been delayed across the country
More than 1,600 flights have been canceled ahead of the hurricane
Tampa Airport is the most affected hub – followed by Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta, Southwest Florida in Fort Myers, and Miami Airport

Inside the evacuation centers: Tallahassee locals brace for the worst

What is a Category 4 hurricane? Everything you need to know

Hurricanes are measured from 1 to 5 based on their wind speed – with five being the strongest.

While Hurricane Helene is currently a Category 2 storm, with wind speeds of 100 mph, it is expected to grow into a devastating Category 4 storm.

The National Hurricane Center says that during a Category 4 storm, ‘a high percentage of framed homes will be destroyed, with total roof failure and wall collapse.’

Helene will make ‘DEADLY’ hit on Tallahassee

Deanne Criswell, FEMA’s director, said that the hurricane’s force on the Florida city of Tallahassee will be ‘deadly’
She told a White House briefing: ‘This is going to be a multi-state event with the potential for significant impacts from Florida all the way to Tennessee’
Criswell said the decisions residents make now ‘can save lives’

Hurricane Helene: Seen from space

NASA is tracking the hurricane as it makes its way to Florida – and provided a bird’s-eye view of the weather front.

Footage from 260 miles above the earth showed the hurricane’s movements.

Residents on Florida’s coast feel the effects of the brewing storm

Locals in Key West, Florida, and St Pete’s Beach, Florida, are caught in crashing waves ahead of Helene’s landfall.

The devastating storm is expected to hit the Sunshine State this evening.

ST PETE BEACH, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 26: Callie Padgett runs from a wave crashing ashore from the Gulf of Mexico as Hurricane Helene passes offshore on September 26, 2024 in St. Pete Beach, Florida. Later today, Helene is forecast to become a major hurricane, bringing the potential for deadly storm surges, flooding rain, and destructive hurricane-force winds along parts of the Florida West Coast. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

epa11626508 Motorists brave a flooded street due to storm surge and high winds of Hurricane Helene near the 'Southernmost Point' buoy in Key West, Florida, USA, 26 September 2024. Hurricane Helene is strengthening as it moves toward the US Gulf Coast becoming a Category 1 hurricane and is expected to hit Florida's Big Bend later in the day as a Category 4 storm. Around 32 million people are under flood watches from South Florida to southern Virginia. EPA/SCOTT HALLERAN

epa11626511 A visitor braves the high surf, storm surge and high winds of Hurricane Helene to take photos at the 'Southernmost Point' buoy in Key West, Florida, USA, 26 September 2024. Hurricane Helene is strengthening as it moves toward the US Gulf Coast becoming a Category 1 hurricane and is expected to hit Florida's Big Bend later in the day as a Category 4 storm. Around 32 million people are under flood watches from South Florida to southern Virginia. EPA/SCOTT HALLERAN

Waffle House closes as Hurricane Helene approaches

A Waffle House in Tallahassee has closed its doors as Hurricane Helene approaches Florida – a sign the storm is getting serious.

The restaurant chain has a reputation for staying open during extreme weather events, so store closures are key indications of the chaos to come.

‘We plan to open as soon as the storm passes,’ a sign on one outlet reads.

The tropical storm is expected to make landfall Thursday evening.

Florida State Fire Marshal warns residents to tell loved ones if they’re NOT evacuating

Florida’s State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis has warned anyone choosing to stay at home and weather the storm to let loved ones know their plans.

‘The storm surge from this storm is going to be unlike anything the state has seen for over a decade,’ he said in a video message to the public.

‘Please err on the side of caution – if you have not notified a loved one that you are staying put and not evacuating, please do so.

‘As communications and power might get impaired, we need to have some knowledge of where we should be sending our resources after the storm passes and it’s safe to resume search and rescue operations.’

Florida residents scramble to prepare for Hurricane Helene

Residents of the storm-ravaged Sunshine State are scrambling to prepare for the hell Hurricane Helene is about to unleash in southern Florida.

While thousands have left their homes for safer shelter, others are bunkering down with supplies in the hopes of weathering the storm.

Huge waves smash towards Howard Frankland Bridge

Shocking footage shows huge waves hurtling towards Howard Frankland Bridge, which links Tampa to St Petersburg and Clearwater via Old Tampa Bay.

DeSantis warns Floridians to find a safe shelter ‘now’

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has warned residents to escape to a safe place as soon as possible as Hurricane Helene barrels in.

‘The storm is going to make landfall this evening,’ DeSantis warned. ‘It will likely be dark by the time storm passes.

‘Do not try to do any work in the dark. You don’t know what hazards are out there.

‘There’s going to be debris, there’s going to potentially be, in some parts, standing water.

‘That is difficult to navigate as it is, but to be doing that in the dark of night is hazardous.’

DeSantis added that ‘parts of our state are starting to feel the effects’ of the hurricane already – while urging those further north to get to a safe shelter ‘now’ while they ‘still have time’.

Hurricane Helene is moments away from reaching Category 3 ferocity

The tropical storm has continued to intensify through Thursday – reaching maximum sustained wind strengths of 105mph – just 6mph away from the minimum threshold for a Category 3 hurricane.

Helene is centered 255 miles southwest of Tampa, moving north-east at a speed of 14mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

It is projected to accelerate through the day and make landfall with the Florida coastline by the evening as a Category 3 or Category 4 hurricane.

Hurricane Helene prompts airport hell

Thousands of flights have been canceled or delayed as Hurricane Helene moves towards Florida from the Gulf of Mexico.

The worst-hit airport is Tampa International, where 87 percent of flights have been canceled, followed by Southwest Florida International, where the figure currently sits at 77 percent, according to FlightAware.

Some 21,491 flights have been delayed across the US on Thursday alone, with a further 2,987 canceled, per the flight tracking website.

Hurricane Helene is expected to be even worse than Idalia

Tropical storm Helene is projected to be even more devastating than Hurricane Idalia, the Category 4 hurricane which tore through northern Florida in late August 2023.

Idalia also wreaked havoc in Georgia and the Carolinas as it de-intensified to storm level.

Pinellas County officials have released a concerning graphic showing how much worse Helene is likely to be.

Idalia’s storm surge in St Petersburg flooded 1,500 homes and maxed out at four feet – depicted by the blue line. Helene’s forecast for the same city is projected to be double the size at eight feet.

Storm surge threat from Hurricane Helene ‘unsurvivable’ in places

The National Weather Service in Tallahassee described the storm surge threat for Apalachee Bay as ‘catastrophic and/or potentially unsurvivable’ in a dramatic update.

‘There is increasing confidence of catastrophic and /or potentially unsurvivable storm surge for Apalachee Bay,’ the service said.

Disney World has closed some attractions over safety fears

‘Walt Disney World Resort is currently operating under normal conditions; however, some experiences will be canceled or unavailable on September 26,’ the Florida resort said in a statement.

‘We are closely monitoring the path of the storm as we continue to prioritize the safety of our Guests and Cast Members.’

Shuttered attractions include the water park, mini golf, and pools at Disney Resort Hotels.

Florida doctors are bunkering down in hospitals as Hurricane Helene barrels in

Florida medics are sleeping over at hospitals to make sure they can reach their patients if Hurricane Helene cuts off crucial transport links.

One doctor in St Petersburg, Tampa Bay, shared her preparations via TikTok – starting by unraveling her emergency fold-out bed and blankets in an office room.

‘I’m going to be locked in for the next day and a half making sure that patients in this area are able to get the care that they need if they do get sick,’ she explained.

Helene strengthens to Category 2

The tropical storm strengthened to a Category 2 hurricane Thursday morning, the National Hurricane Center said.

Wind speeds have now reached a sustained 100mph with some higher gusts.

Helene is projected to intensify throughout Thursday before making landfall in Florida later in the afternoon.

Watch Hurricane Helene live

Watch the tropical storm unfold from Tampa, Florida, via livestream as it gains strength through Thursday morning.

Helene submerges Cancun beach resort

Helene was pelting Mexico’s Caribbean coastal resorts from Cozumel to Cancun with rain, high waves and strong winds early Wednesday – a sign of things to come for many residents in Florida’s coastal regions.

Mara Lezama, the governor of the coastal state of Quintana Roo, shared photos of downed trees and rain-swept streets.

Videos showed the normally placid, turquoise waters off the island of Cozumel being whipped into angry waves that broke over the seawall of the coastal boulevard.

In Cancun, one woman posted a video in which she described the weather as a ‘monsoon’ and described the beach as ‘gone’.

‘I’m out of towels. My bed is now an island,’ she added.

Heavy waves have also threatened to worsen the resort’s ongoing problem with beach erosion.

A view shows the damage caused by Tropical Storm Helene in Puerto Juarez, Cancun, Mexico September 25, 2024. REUTERS/Paola Chiomante

epa11624372 Waves and strong winds caused by Hurricane Helene, in Cancun, Mexico, 25 September 2024. The Mexican governor of Quintana Roo, Mara Lezama, warned that Cyclone Helene had strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane, although she warned that it had moved away from the coasts of the state, which is home to the country's main tourist destinations in the Caribbean. EPA/Alonso Cupul

A man pushes a cart on a flooded street during rainfall caused by Tropical Storm Helene, in Cancun, Mexico September 25, 2024. REUTERS/Paola Chiomante TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Tallahassee mayor: Storm could be the strongest ever to hit Florida city

John Dailey, the mayor of Tallahassee, Florida’s capital city that is in the direct path of Helene, has said the hurricane could be the strongest storm to ever make a direct hit on his city.

Helene could produce ‘unprecedented damage like nothing we have ever experienced before as a community,’ Dailey told reporters on Wednesday.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 25: Kyley Weems, right, and Jordan Rochester carry bagged sand in preparation for possible flooding on September 25, 2024 in Tallahassee, Florida. Forecasts predict Tropical Storm Helene will strengthen to a hurricane, making landfall along the Florida Gulf Coast on Thursday. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

A shopper passes by empty shelves in the bread section of a Walmart, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024 in Tallahassee, Fla. Grocery stores and gas stations were seeing heavy traffic in advance of Hurricane Helene, expected to make landfall Thursday night in the Big Bend area. (AP Photo/Phil Sears)

Footage shows 19-foot storm surge in 2018

Marc Weinberg, Chief Meteorologist at WDRB in Louisville, KY, has shared footage of the aftermath of a 19-foot storm surge following Hurricane Michael in 2018.

‘You can see why the word “unsurvivable” is being used to describe the potential surge from Helene,’ he writes on X.

The storm surge caused by Helene is predicted to reach 20 feet in some coastal regions.

Map shows Helene’s time of arrival

The National Hurricane Center has released this map showing the earliest reasonable arrival time of tropical storm winds.

Southern parts of Florida could see such winds as early as 8 a.m. CDT on Thursday, according to the map.

NASA-SpaceX launch delayed

As MLB games have been delayed, so too have NASA missions, with the space agency saying it has pushed back the launch of its Crew-9 mission with SpaceX due to the in-coming storm.

SpaceX’s upcoming Crew Dragon mission, a routine flight called Crew-9, is expected to send one NASA astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut to the International Space Station.

Although Helene is moving through the Gulf of Mexico and expected to impact the northwest of region of Florida, it is large enough that high winds and heavy rain are expected in the Cape Canaveral region, from where the mission is set to be launched.

The Crew-9 mission was originally stated to be launched no earlier than August 18, but was pushed back a month to spend more time analyzing issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, which remains docked at the station.

NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov are to launch aboard the Dragon spacecraft to the ISS, on what will be the ninth crew rotation mission with SpaceX under the space agency’s Commercial Crew Program.

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA SEPTEMBER 21: A screen advertises NASA Crew-9 at Kennedy Space Center on September 21, 2024, in Cape Canaveral, Florida. SpaceX Crew-9 is the ninth crew rotation mission of SpaceX's human transportation system to the International Space Station (ISS). Due to technical issues with the Boeing Starliner, the decision was made to return the Starliner uncrewed and launch Crew-9 with two empty seats to return Boeing's crew flight test astronauts to Earth. (Photo by Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/Getty Images)

In pictures: Residents prepare for Hurricane Helene in Florida

Helene prompts US Gulf Coast energy facilities to scale back operations

Energy facilities along the US Gulf Coast scaled back operations and evacuated some production sites as Hurricane Helene is expected to bring catastrophic winds and storm surges to the northeastern Gulf Coast.

About 29 per cent of crude production and 17 per cent of natural gas output in the US Gulf of Mexico have been shut in response to Helene, the US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement said Wednesday.

Offshore production in the US Gulf of Mexico accounts for approximately 1.8 million barrels per day or about 15 per cent of the nation’s total crude output.

Disruptions have the potential to affect US oil supplies, leading to upward pressure on prices for domestic oil and offshore crude grades.

South Carolina governor declares state of emergency

Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency in South Carolina yesterday.

He said Hurricane Helene is going to be a dangerous storm even as the state avoids the brunt of the impacts.

Wednesday’s declaration allows the state to put in place emergency plans to coordinate between agencies and the federal government and opens the doors for counties and local governments to request assistance.

The coast and much of the western half of South Carolina is expecting tropical storm-force winds; a flash flood watch is also in effect.

Parts of the mountains in extreme northern South Carolina could see up to 15 inches of rain, the National Weather Service said.

‘Although South Carolina will likely avoid the brunt of Hurricane Helene’s impacts, the storm is still expected to bring dangerous flooding, high winds, and isolated tornadoes to many parts of the state,’ McMaster said in a statement.

What is a storm surge?

Several agencies, including the National Weather Service (NWS), are warning of a storm surge. But what exactly does that mean?

Storm Surges occur when powerful winds push water onshore, causing a rise in water levels – and therefore flooding in coastal areas.

Heavy rains and large waves can add to the build up of water.

The NWS has released a diagram demonstrating storm surge levels, showing that a 12-foot storm surge can reach the second floor of many buildings.

The Weather Channel has warned that Helene’s storm surge is expected to reach up to 20 feet in some areas.

Residents urged to evacuate over fears of ‘life-threatening’ storm surge

The National Hurricane Center’s Storm Surge Unit has urged residents along the west coast of the Florida Peninsula and Florida Big Bend to follow orders to evacuate, warning that the storm surge will be ‘life-threatening’.

Hurricane Helene: Map shows forecast path of storm and where it is expected to make landfall

Mets-Braves games postponed in Atlanta

Major League Baseball has announced the postponement of the scheduled games between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets at Truist Park in Atlanta.

The teams were set to play on Wednesday and Thursday nights, but have been pushed back to a doubleheader on Monday, September 30 due to the weather.

The first game will begin at 1.10pm ET and the second will start 40 minutes after the last out in the first game, the statement said.

‘To all of our fans throughout Braves Country that will be impacted by Hurricane Helene, please stay safe,’ The Braves wrote on X.

A tarp covers the infield as rain comes down at Truist Park after the baseball game between the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves as postponed, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, in Atlanta. The Mets-Braves games scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday are postponed and will be made up as a doubleheader Monday, Sept. 30. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Mexico and Cuba hit hard by Helene

Helene has left a trail of destruction en route to the United States.

It swamped parts of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula on Wednesday, flooding streets and toppling trees as it passed offshore and brushed the resort city of Cancun.

The storm formed Tuesday in the Caribbean Sea.

In Cuba, the government preventively shut off power in some communities as waves as high as 16 feet slammed Cortes Bay.

In the Cayman Islands, schools closed and residents pumped water from flooded homes.

TOPSHOT - A residents of the coastal town of Guanimar in Artemisa province, southwest of Havana, wade trough a flooded street after the passage of Hurricane Helene on September 25, 2024. Tropical Storm Helene became a hurricane mid-morning in the Gulf of Mexico. "Life-threatening storm surge, hurricane-force winds, rainfall and flooding are expected across much of Florida and the southeastern United States," the Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in its latest bulletin. (Photo by YAMIL LAGE / AFP) (Photo by YAMIL LAGE/AFP via Getty Images)

TOPSHOT - A car in a flooded street is seen after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Cancun, Quintana Roo State, Mexico, on September 25, 2024. Tropical Storm Helene became a hurricane mid-morning in the Gulf of Mexico. "Life-threatening storm surge, hurricane-force winds, rainfall and flooding are expected across much of Florida and the southeastern United States," the Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in its latest bulletin. (Photo by Elizabeth Ruiz / AFP) (Photo by ELIZABETH RUIZ/AFP via Getty Images)

Major damage expected as storms strengthen in the south

Helene is expected to be a major hurricane – meaning a Category 3 or higher – when it makes landfall tonight.

As Helene strengthens, forecaster warn that Tropical Storm Isaac – which formed yesterday in the Atlantic – is expected to strengthen as it moves eastward across the open ocean, possibly becoming a hurricane by the end of the week.

In the Pacific, former Hurricane John reformed Wednesday as a tropical storm and was strengthening as it threatened areas of Mexico’s western coast. Officials posted hurricane warnings for southwestern Mexico.

John hit the country’s southern Pacific coast late Monday, killing at least two people, triggering mudslides, and damaging homes and trees. It grew into a Category 3 hurricane in a matter of hours and made landfall east of Acapulco. It reemerged over the ocean after weakening inland.

Ron DeSantis: Do not get wedded to the ‘cone’

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has urged residents to ‘not get wedded to the “cone”‘ – warning that ‘hazards such as tornados, flooding, and storm surge can create dangerous conditions far beyond the cone.’

In other words, he has warned people against assuming they are safe just because their home or business is not in the direct path of the storm – or the ‘cone’ shown on weather maps.

Residents should also check official warnings issue over other hazards.

Hurricane Helene is expected to make landfall in Florida on Thursday evening.

Of the state’s 67 counties, 61 are under a state of emergency, DeSantis said. Mandatory evacuations are in effect in parts of at least 20 counties.

Dire warning from officials: ‘not a survivable event’

Officials have issued dire warnings, pleading with residents in coastal areas along the hurricane’s path to evacuate ahead of catastrophic winds and a potentially deadly storm surge (the wall of seawater pushed on land by hurricane-force winds), that could rise to 20 feet (6.1 meters) in some spots.

‘This is not a survivable event for those in coastal or low- lying areas,’ said Jared Miller, the sheriff of Wakulla County, where Helene is forecast to make landfall. ‘Please heed the evacuation orders in place as time is running out to do so.’

Helene roared across the Gulf of Mexico, picking up power from the warm ocean water. It is forecast to make landfall in Florida’s panhandle Thursday evening, packing sustained wind speeds of up to 156 miles per hour, forecasters said.

‘For those in the path, that unfortunately means catastrophic wind impacts,’ National Hurricane Center Deputy Director Jamie Rhome said.

Reported by Reuters

This GOES-16 GeoColor satellite image taken at 5:51 p.m. EDT and provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows Hurricane Helene in the Gulf of Mexico, Wednesday, Sept. 25 2024. (NOAA via AP)

Hurricane Helene is set to strike Florida’s Gulf Coast within hours, threatening an ‘unsurvivable’ storm surge that would leave catastrophic damage and could deluge cities and swallow homes.

Helene could roar ashore as a Category 4 hurricane by tonight, with wind speeds of up to 130mph after spending days strengthening in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, the National Hurricane Center warned.

Forecasters predict Helene could bring storm surges of up to 20 feet (6 meters) and warned they could be particularly ‘catastrophic and life-threatening’ in Florida’s Apalachee Bay. Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm’s arrival.

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Good morning

A sign displays a hurricane warning along a roadside as preparations are made for the arrival of Hurricane Helene, in Cedar Key, Florida on September 25, 2024. Thousands of residents on Wednesday began evacuating parts of coastal Florida as the US state braces for Hurricane Helene, forecast to barrel ashore as a powerful, potentially deadly storm. Helene strengthened into a hurricane mid-morning in the Gulf of Mexico and is "expected to bring life-threatening storm surge, damaging winds, and flooding rains to a large portion of Florida and the Southeastern United States," the National Hurricane Center in Miami said in its latest bulletin. (Photo by Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo / AFP) (Photo by MIGUEL J. RODRIGUEZ CARRILLO/AFP via Getty Images)

Hello and welcome to DailyMail.com’s live coverage of Hurricane Helene as it fast approaches Florida.

The National Hurricane Center warned Helene is likely to reach Category 4 when it makes landfall after strengthening in the Gulf of Mexico.

Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm’s arrival as forecasters predict storm surges of up to 20 feet (6 meters).

State officials say the damage could be unprecedented and catastrophic with residents scrambling to reach higher ground.

Stick with our coverage as we track Helene’s movements and bring you the latest developments on the ground in Flordia.

Key Updates

Hurricane Helene prompts airport hell
Helene is expected to be even worse than Idalia
Storm surge threat ‘unsurvivable’ in places
Florida doctors are bunkering down in hospitals
Florida braces for monster storm Helene