NASA, SpaceX prepare to launch capsule to bring home Starliner astronauts
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
(NEW YORK) — NASA and SpaceX are set to launch a critical mission Saturday to bring home the two astronauts who flew Boeing’s Starliner to the International Space Station.
The SpaceX Crew-9 Dragon will take off with two empty seats and extra spacesuits for Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams, who have been in space since June. Wilmore and Williams performed the first crewed test flight of the Starliner and were supposed to be on the ISS for about a week.
NASA and Boeing officials decided to send Starliner back to Earth last month after several mechanical issues, keeping Wilmore and Williams onboard the ISS until February 2025.
The unmanned Starliner landed safely at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico in the early hours of Sept. 7.
The Dragon spacecraft was originally scheduled to travel to the ISS with four astronauts for a routine science mission. Astronauts Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov will crew the spacecraft to the ISS.
(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a request from Mark Meadows, the one-time chief of staff to former President Donald Trump, to move his Georgia election interference case into federal court.
Meadows was charged alongside Trump and 18 others last year in the Fulton County racketeering case over their alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election in the state. Meadows and the others pleaded not guilty to all charges, and four defendants subsequently took plea deals.
Meadows for months has sought to move his case into federal court based on a law that calls for the removal of criminal proceedings when someone is charged for actions they allegedly took as a federal official acting “under color” of their office.
Meadows had argued to the Supreme Court that a lower court erred when it rejected Meadows’ request to move the case out of state court and into federal court, in part by pointing to the court’s recent landmark ruling granting Trump some immunity for official acts.
“Just as immunity protection for former officers is critical to ensuring that current and future officers are not deterred from enthusiastic service, so too is the promise of a federal forum in which to litigate that defense,” the 47-page filing states.
Both a lower court and appeals court have rejected that claim, with one judge writing that Meadows’ actions charged in the indictment “were taken on behalf of the Trump campaign” and were not his official duties.
The Fulton County election interference case is largely on pause pending an appeal of ruling that allowed Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to remain on the case after Judge Scott McAfee declined to disqualify her due to a “significant appearance of impropriety” stemming from a romantic relationship between her and a prosecutor on her staff.
A spokesperson for the DA’s office recently declined to comment when asked by ABC News for their views on the future of the case, given Trump’s reelection last week.
In this Aug. 14, 2024, file photo, broken electricity lines above homes damaged are seen after Tropical Storm Ernesto hit Fajardo, Puerto Rico. (Jaydee Lee Serrano/AFP via Getty Images, FILE)
(NEW YORK) — Puerto Rico is still recovering from Hurricane Maria — nearly seven years after the powerful Category 4 storm caused extensive damage to the island’s already delicate infrastructure.
September marks National Preparedness Month and the start of Hispanic Heritage Month — stark reminders of the work that remains to be done on the island, especially as climate change could lead to more rapidly intensifying hurricanes in the Atlantic Basin.
Getting Puerto Rico to the necessary storm preparedness is about “justice and fairness” in protecting a unique culture and heritage that belongs to the United States, Jorge Gonzalez-Cruz, professor at the University of Albany’s Atmospheric Sciences Research Center who has researched urban energy sustainability in Puerto Rico, told ABC News.
“We are U.S. citizens and deserve the best possible opportunity to develop and grow and have a sense of well-being and prosperity,” said Gonzalez-Cruz, who was born and raised on the island.
Hurricane Maria brought 155 mph winds as it made landfall near the city of Yabucoa, on the southeast portion of the island, on Sept. 20, 2017. The storm knocked out 95% of cell towers, leaving residents without the ability to communicate. Power, already scarce due to Hurricane Irma just weeks before, was knocked out on the entire island. Flooding on the island was rampant, with 13 locations reaching record flood stage, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Structural damage to buildings was widespread, and nearly all road signs and traffic lights were destroyed, officials said.
Some communities were without power for up to a year, according to Gonzalez-Cruz.
Out of the nearly 3,000 deaths attributed to Maria, only dozens were as a result of the actual storm, Kyle Siler-Evans, senior engineer of RAND, a nonprofit research institute and public sector consulting firm, told ABC News. The rest of the fatalities were caused by lack of access to clean water, food and power for an extended period of time, he added.
The frequency of strong storms that impacted the U.S. in 2017 likely contributed to delays in response to Puerto Rico, Sally Ray, director of domestic funds for the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, told ABC News. Hurricane Harvey brought widespread flooding to the Houston area in August 2017. Hurricane Irma caused extensive damage in Florida after striking the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico, in early September 2017.
“By the time you got to Maria, you know, everybody had given all their attention and money to Harvey and not as much to the subsequent storms of that season,” Ray said.
The COVID-19 pandemic, subsequent storms that followed and the rise of inflation delayed the reconstruction even more, Siler-Evans said.
Puerto Rico was awarded $34 billion from the federal government for Hurricane Maria recovery efforts, $28.6 billion of which was allocated for permanent work and management costs, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
As of September 2023, 86% of FEMA’s Projects for Puerto Rico, including hazard mitigation and management costs had been completed, according to FEMA.
Gonzalez-Cruz described recovery efforts as being at a “good pace,” despite the setbacks. Improvements continue to be made to the power system, new flooding zones are regularly identified and reconstruction is moving steadily across the island, he said.
Thousands of smaller projects, such as the building of baseball fields and repairs to roads and bridges, are currently in the works as well, Siler-Evans told ABC News.
“But, [there’s] still a lot of work to be done,” Gonzalez-Cruz said.
Puerto Rico is often in the bullseye of storm systems that generate in the Atlantic Basin, the experts said. Every extreme weather event to impact the island since 2017 has been a litmus test of what still needs to be done to modernize its aging infrastructure, much of which was built during the mid-20th century.
More than 30,000 homes still had damaged roofs — covered in blue tarp — in 2019 as Hurricane Dorian neared the island, but a direct hit was avoided due to a late shift in track. In 2020, one million customers were without power following back-to-back earthquakes. An explosion and subsequent fire at a substation left 900,000 customers on the island without power in June 2021. Another massive fire at a major power plant caused a massive outage for about 1.3 million customers in April 2022, followed by Hurricane Fiona in September of that year.
Fiona was considered the first big test of the improvements made on the infrastructure since Maria, Gonzalez-Cruz said. The entire island lost power following the impact of the Category 1 storm.
The most recent named storm, Hurricane Ernesto, caused significant flooding on the island and left 730,000 customers without power — about half the island — after striking the island last month, officials said.
“There’s this whole cycle of problems that happens after a storm like Ernesto that [doesn’t] get the attention,” Ray said.
The toll from the aftermath of Hurricane Maria took on the collective psyches of Puerto Ricans cannot be understated, Gonzalez-Cruz said.
“It also shocked the makeup of the Puerto Rican people,” he said. “It revealed a lot of challenges that the island has been dealing with over [the] years.”
FEMA, its federal partners and the Government of Puerto Rico continue working closely on the island’s unprecedented recovery mission, a FEMA spokesperson said in an emailed statement to ABC News.
“FEMA is committed to the work that lies ahead and to ensuring that this historic recovery will have a lasting, positive impact on future generations,” the spokesperson said. “As National Hispanic Heritage Month begins, FEMA is proud to mention that its Hispanic and Latino Employee Resource Group is one of the largest in the agency with nearly 1,000 members across the country, many of whom are Puerto Rican and are leading the island’s long-term recovery efforts.
A request for comment from the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority was not immediately answered.
(NEW YORK) — Helene — which has strengthened to a Category 2 hurricane — is taking aim at Florida, where it’s forecast to make landfall along the Big Bend area on Thursday night.
Here’s how the news is developing:
Over 115,000 without power in Florida
More than 115,000 customers in Florida have lost power so far as Hurricane Helene nears landfall.
Latest forecast
Hurricane Helene is forecast to make landfall as a major hurricane between 9:30 p.m. and 11:30 pm. Thursday in Florida’s Big Bend region.
Because Helene is a very large hurricane, it will impact nearly all of Florida.
Helene is set to bring catastrophic storm surge up to 20 feet to the Big Bend area. Four to 8 feet of storm surge is expected around Tampa Bay.
The major 110 mph winds will cause widespread tree damage and power outages across the Florida Panhandle and the Big Bend area.
Tornado watches are in effect for most of Florida and parts of Georgia and South Carolina through Thursday night.
By Friday morning, Helene will weaken to a tropical storm as it moves north through Atlanta with heavy rain and strong winds.
Georgia should be prepared for hurricane-force wind gusts to cause damage and power outages.
Rainfall totals from Helene will be 6 to 12 inches, with locally up to 20 inches in some areas.
Catastrophic and life-threatening flash flooding, as well as significant landslides, are expected across portions of the southern Appalachians through Friday. There is an extreme flood risk from Tallahassee, Florida, to Atlanta to Asheville, North Carolina.
-ABC News’ Melissa Griffin
All of Georgia will be impacted, governor warns
All counties in Georgia are under a state of emergency as Hurricane Helene nears.
“This is a big storm — it’s going to affect the entire state,” Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said.
“This storm is one of the biggest we’ve ever seen in the Atlantic in terms of size, covering nearly 500 miles,” he said.
Kemp cautioned about the potential for flash flooding and tornadoes, particularly in areas on the “dirty side” of the storm
“This storm will bring strong winds and a lot of rain. Flooding and even landslides in mountainous areas are a real possibility,” he said.
-ABC News’ Jason Volack
Helene strengthens to major Category 3 hurricane
Helene strengthened to a major Category 3 hurricane with 120mph winds on Thursday afternoon.
Helene could strengthen even more before it makes landfall Thursday night.
Over 50,000 without power in Florida
More than 50,000 customers in Florida have lost power so far as Hurricane Helene nears landfall.
‘Take the storm seriously,’ FEMA administrator warns
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell is warning everyone in the path of Hurricane Helene to “take the storm seriously.”
“Listen to your local officials. If they tell you to evacuate, please do so. And if they tell you to shelter in place, then that’s what you should do,” she said at a news conference. “They’re going to give you the best information that you can do, for your specific situation. Those decisions can save lives.”
Over 1,100 personnel from the federal government are supporting storm efforts, Criswell said.
“We also have an additional 700 personnel from FEMA that are already in these states, supporting other disasters, that we can quickly pivot to support any of the response needs as needed,” Criswell said. “Some of the resources that we have already deployed include eight search and rescue teams across Florida and Georgia, as well as resources from the Coast Guard, the Department of Defense to immediately support any lifesaving operations as needed.”
-ABC News’ Justin Ryan Gomez
North Carolina flooding could be catastrophic, governor warns
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper described Helene as an unusually dangerous storm that threatens to bring heavy rain and potentially catastrophic flooding to central and western North Carolina on Thursday night and Friday.
Helene is forecast to drop more than 1 foot of rain to parts of western North Carolina, and even cities like Charlotte could see flash flooding despite not being in the storm’s direct path, officials said.
President Joe Biden has approved emergency declarations for states in Helene’s path, including North Carolina.
-ABC News’ Alex Faul
Latest forecast
Helene is forecast to strengthen to a major Category 3 hurricane with 120 mph winds by 8 p.m. Thursday.
Landfall is expected Thursday night, between 10 p.m. and midnight, southeast of Tallahassee.
After landfall, the fast-moving Helene will push strong winds inland to northern Georgia.
On Friday morning, catastrophic flash flooding is a major threat from northern Georgia to Asheville, North Carolina. That area already saw up to 6 inches of rain over the last 24 hours from a separate storm, and Helene could drop another 10 to 20 inches of rain.
The remnants of Helene will stall over the weekend in the Tennessee, Ohio and Mississippi River valleys. Flooding is possible in Tennessee, Kentucky and Arkansas.
-ABC News’ Max Golembo
Over 1,000 flights canceled
Airlines have canceled over 1,000 flights across the country as Hurricane Helene moves in.
The airports seeing the biggest impacts are Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers and Tampa International Airport.
Tampa International Airport, Tallahassee International Airport and St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport are all closed on Thursday.
‘Very large’ Hurricane Helene nearing Category 3 winds
Helene is now a Category 2 hurricane with 105 mph winds as it barrels toward the Florida Panhandle.
Category 3 — which is considered a major hurricane — begins when the storm’s winds reach 111 mph.
Helene is forecast make landfall Thursday night, between 10 p.m. and midnight, as a Category 3 hurricane with 120 winds.
Helene is “very large,” so the storm’s rain, wind and storm surge “will extend far away from the center and well outside the forecast cone, particularly on the east side,” the National Hurricane Center warned.
“Comparing the system with previous hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico over the past couple of decades, Helene is at the upper bound in terms of size,” the NHC said.
-ABC News’ Max Golembo
North Florida residents in evacuation zones should leave now: Governor
North Florida residents who are in evacuation zones should leave now, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned Thursday morning, since Hurricane Helene’s outer bands are quickly approaching the coast.
Florida’s Division of Emergency Management has partnered with Uber to provide free rides to shelters for Floridians under a state of emergency. Riders can use the code HeleneRelief, officials said.
At least 80 health care facilities — including hospitals and nursing homes — are evacuating, officials said.
One of the biggest hazards is falling trees, DeSantis said. He urged people to take cover if they hear trees cracking.
-ABC News’ Alex Faul
‘Catastrophic’ flooding in the forecast
Hurricane Helene is forecast to bring six to 12 inches of rain, with isolated totals around 18 inches, to the Southeast.
The intense rainfall could cause “catastrophic and potentially life-threatening” flooding, the National Hurricane Center warned.
What to know about storm surge
Helene is a large storm, so it could bring life-threatening storm surge for the entire west coast of the Florida Peninsula.
Storm surge could reach 15 to 20 feet in the Florida Panhandle. The Tampa area could get 4 to 8 feet of storm surge.
Helene strengthens to Category 2
Helene has strengthened to a Category 2 hurricane with winds of 100 mph.
The storm will continue to strengthen throughout the day and is forecast to be a major hurricane by the time it makes landfall Thursday night.
Damaging winds expected as Helene’s speed increases
Hurricane Helene’s landfall may see “damaging winds” penetrate as far inland as major metro areas like Atlanta, Georgia, the National Hurricane Center warned.
A hurricane warning is currently in place for parts of Florida and Georgia. This includes Tallahassee and Apalachicola, Florida, and Valdosta, Columbus and Macon, Georgia.
A tropical storm warning is in place for cities including Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville and Atlanta. Dothan, Alabama, Charleston, South Carolina, and Asheville, North Carolina are also under tropical storm warnings.
The hurricane is expected to gather speed to Category 3 status — with winds of 111 mph and above — by the time it makes landfall on the Florida coast on Thursday night.
Helene’s damaging winds could reach Atlanta and other cities by Friday morning, subsequently passing into the Appalachians and Ohio Valley by Friday afternoon.
Helene strengthening ahead of Thursday landfall
Hurricane Helene is strengthening as it approaches landfall in Florida, with winds at 90 mph as of Thursday morning.
Helene remains a Category 1 hurricane. Category 2 status begins with winds of 96 mph.
Landfall is projected after 9 p.m. ET on Thursday southeast of Tallahassee.
The National Hurricane Center predicted that Helene will be a Category 3 hurricane — with winds of more than 111 mph — by the time the storm makes landfall.
Storm surges are predicted to be 15 feet and above in Florida’s Big Bend area and between 4 and 8 feet in the Tampa Bay area.
Extreme flash flooding remains a major concern in Georgia and the Carolinas through Thursday night and into Friday morning.
Latest forecast
Helene — currently a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 85 mph — is now located about 425 miles south-southwest of Tampa, Florida.
The worst of the storm surge — up to 20 feet — is expected in Florida’s Big Bend area, where Helene’s set to make landfall.
Landfall is forecast between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. Thursday as a major Category 4 hurricane with winds up to 130 mph.
Six to 12 inches of rain is in the forecast, with 18 inches projected locally.
MLB postpones Mets-Braves games in Atlanta due to weather forecast
Major League Baseball announced Wednesday that the scheduled games between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets at Truist Park in Atlanta this week have been postponed due to the forecast and the inclement weather.
The games originally scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday nights have been moved to a doubleheader on Monday, Sept. 30, according to the MLB’s statement.
The first game will begin at 1:10 p.m. ET and the second game will begin 40 minutes after the last out of the first game, the MLB said.
Monday is a single-admission doubleheader with only one ticket required for both games, according to the statement.
Helene forecast to make landfall as Category 4
Helene, currently a Category 1 hurricane, is forecast to make landfall as a major Category 4 hurricane with winds up to 130 mph.
Landfall is forecast between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. Thursday in Florida’s Big Bend region.
Mandatory evacuations in effect in at least 20 Florida counties
Mandatory evacuations are in effect in parts of at least 20 Florida counties, including Taylor, Sarasota, Gulf and Hillsborough.
North Carolina, Georgia declare states of emergency
North Carolina and Georgia have declared states of emergency ahead of Hurricane Helene, their governors announced on Wednesday.
“The current forecast for Hurricane Helene suggests this storm will impact every part of our state,” Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp warned in a statement. “We are not taking anything for granted, which is why I have directed appropriate state agencies to work around the clock to ensure we’re prepared for whatever is heading our way.”
The heavy rain, flash flooding and winds are also threatening the mountains and Piedmont areas of North Carolina, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said. The state is preparing water rescue teams and urban search and rescue teams to help respond to the storm, he said.
Universities, schools close as Helene approaches
Florida A&M University, the University of Tampa, the University of Florida and Florida State University’s Tallahassee campus have all announced closures ahead of Hurricane Helene’s landfall. The University of Tampa is under a mandatory evacuation order.
Younger students will also be out of school. Only six out of Florida’s 67 counties have public school districts that will remain open on Thursday. Public schools are also closed in Atlanta on Thursday and Friday.
-ABC News’ Alex Faul
Helene’s latest forecast
Helene, currently a Category 1 hurricane, is forecast to make landfall between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. Thursday as a major Category 3 hurricane.
Helene is a large storm, so it could bring life-threatening storm surge for the entire West Coast of the Florida Peninsula.
The worst of the storm surge — up to 18 feet — is expected in Florida’s Big Bend area, where Helene’s set to make landfall.
The Tampa Bay area could see up to 8 feet of storm surge; coastal flooding is possible as far south as Fort Myers and Naples.
After Thursday night’s landfall, Helene will bring heavy rain and high winds to the inland Southeast.
Flash flooding is a risk from the Florida Panhandle up to Asheville, North Carolina, and the Appalachians through Friday.
Five to 10 inches of rain is in the forecast, with 15 inches projected locally.
-ABC News’ Melissa Griffin
Helene’s latest forecast
Helene, currently a Category 1 hurricane, is forecast to make landfall between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. Thursday as a major Category 3 hurricane.
Helene is a large storm, so it could bring life-threatening storm surge for the entire West Coast of the Florida Peninsula.
The worst of the storm surge– up to 18 feet — is expected in Florida’s Big Bend area, where Helene’s set to make landfall.
The Tampa Bay area could see up to 8 feet of storm surge; coastal flooding is possible as far south as Fort Myers and Naples.
After Thursday night’s landfall, Helene will bring heavy rain and high winds to the inland Southeast.
Flash flooding is a risk from the Florida Panhandle up to Asheville, North Carolina, and the Appalachians through Friday.
Five to 10 inches of rain is in the forecast, with 15 inches projected locally.
-ABC News’ Melissa Griffin
Mandatory evacuations in effect in at least 19 Florida counties
Mandatory evacuations are in effect in parts of at least 19 Florida counties, including Taylor, Sarasota, Gulf and Hillsborough.
Tampa, St. Pete-Clearwater airports to close
The Tampa International Airport will close at 2 a.m. Thursday ahead of Hurricane Helene, officials said.
Airport officials expect to reopen Friday.
The St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport is also closing on Thursday and plans to reopen Friday.
Universities, schools close as Helene approaches
Florida A&M University, the University of Tampa, the University of Florida and Florida State University’s Tallahassee campus have all announced closures ahead of Hurricane Helene’s landfall. The University of Tampa is under a mandatory evacuation order.
Younger students will also be out of school in counties including Pasco, Pinellas, Hernando, Citrus, Sarasota, Leon and Hillsborough.
-ABC News’ Alex Faul
University of Tampa students ordered to evacuate
The University of Tampa is ordering all students who live on campus to evacuate by 1 p.m. Wednesday, citing mandatory evacuation orders from Hillsborough County officials.
Hurricane Helene is forecast to bring dangerous storm surge to the Tampa Bay area.
“The residence halls will be closed after the evacuation concludes, and there will be no entry allowed into residential buildings until they are reopened following the storm,” the university said in a message to students.
The University of Tampa said it plans to resume operations on Monday.
-ABC News’ Alex Faul
Helene strengthens to Category 1 hurricane
Helene has strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 80 mph.
Helene — now located about 500 miles south-southwest of Tampa, Florida — is the fifth hurricane to form in the Atlantic Basin this season.
64 of Florida’s 67 counties under watches or warnings
Sixty-four out of Florida’s 67 counties are under alerts as Helene nears the state, said Kevin Guthrie, executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management.
Only three counties — Escambia, Okaloosa and Santa Rosa — are not under some type of watch or warning, like tropical storm, storm surge or hurricane, he said.
Wednesday is the last day for Floridians to finalize preparations before Helene hits, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned.
All Floridians should be prepared for power outages, DeSantis added.
At least 12 health care facilities, including hospitals and nursing homes, are evacuating, and more may choose to do so in the coming hours, the governor said.
-ABC News’ Alex Faul
Extreme flash flooding possible in Blue Ridge Mountains in Georgia, Carolinas
Extreme flash flooding is possible in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
First, a storm system separate from Helene is hitting the south on Wednesday. Up to 6 inches of rain is possible over the next 24 hours, bringing a flash flood risk from Atlanta to Asheville, North Carolina.
Then, Thursday afternoon through Friday morning, Hurricane Helene will bring even more extreme rain and flooding to the southern Appalachians.
A rare “high risk” alert for heavy rain has been issued. Up to 15 inches of rain is possible in some spots.
-ABC News’ Max Golembo
How storm surge works and why it’s so dangerous
Helene is forecast to bring 10 to 15 feet of dangerous storm surge to Florida’s Big Bend area, and 4 to 8 feet of storm surge to Tampa Bay.
In 2005, during Hurricane Katrina, at least 1,500 people died “directly, or indirectly, as a result of storm surge,” according to the National Hurricane Center.
Click here to read how storm surge works and why it’s so dangerous.
Helene nears hurricane strength
Tropical Storm Helene is nearing hurricane strength Wednesday morning as it churns just of the northeastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula.
Helene is about 100 miles west-southwest from the western tip of Cuba.
Tropical storm forecast to ‘rapidly’ intensify into major hurricane
Tropical Storm Helene was expected to “rapidly” strengthen and grow in size as it moved on Wednesday into the Gulf of Mexico, U.S. weather officials said.
The storm as of about 4 a.m. local time had maximum sustained winds of about 65 mph, the National Hurricane Center said. It was expected to intensify into a hurricane on Wednesday, before further strengthening into a “major” hurricane on Thursday, the center said.
Helene early Wednesday was traveling northwest at about 9 mph, the center said.
“On the forecast track, the center of Helene will pass near the northeastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula this morning, move across the eastern Gulf of Mexico on later today and Thursday, and reach the Big Bend coast of Florida late Thursday,” the center said.
Biden approves Florida emergency declaration ahead of Helene’s landfall
As Florida residents prepare for Tropical Storm Helene to make landfall Thursday, the White House has approved the state’s emergency declaration.
President Biden’s approval allows for federal assistance to supplement state, tribal and local response efforts.
The Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will coordinate all federal disaster relief efforts, according to the White House’s statement.
Biden’s approval Tuesday comes as officials in Sarasota County announced a Level A evacuation order for portions of two neighborhoods beginning Wednesday morning at 7:00 a.m. ET.
Officials encouraged residents in Curry Creek, Hatchett Creek, Venice and those in Forked Creek, Englewood to be aware of the conditions and stay alert for further updates.
Hurricane warnings issued for portions of Florida’s Panhandle, Big Bend and Gulf Coast
On the current track, Tropical Storm Helene is forecast to make landfall late Thursday night, between 8:00 and 10:00 p.m. ET, as a major Category 3 hurricane with winds up to 115 mph in the Florida Big Bend region.
Hurricane warnings have been issued for Florida’s Panhandle, Big Bend and Gulf Coast regions and hurricane watch warnings have extended into southern Georgia.
Officials have issued tropical storm warnings from Naples and Fort Myers to Orlando and tropical storm watch warnings are in place across Florida’s east coast up to Savannah, Georgia.
Helene’s latest forecast
Helene is expected to strengthen to a hurricane on Wednesday as it enters the Gulf of Mexico and strengthen further to a major Category 3 hurricane by Thursday morning.
A hurricane watch is in effect in Florida from Tallahassee to Tampa, where hurricane conditions will be possible late Wednesday night through late Thursday night.
Wednesday night into Thursday morning, Helene’s outer bands will start to lash Florida’s Gulf Coast. The worst of the conditions will be throughout the day on Thursday.
Helene is forecast to make landfall Thursday night along Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 3 hurricane. Winds could be up to 115 mph during landfall.
Helene is expected to be a large hurricane, which means impacts will extend significantly beyond the center, impacting most of Florida and much of the Southeast.
After landfall, Helene is forecast to quickly move north into Georgia, bringing heavy rain and strong winds to the South.
A significant flash flood risk stretches from the Florida Panhandle to South Carolina — including Tallahassee to Atlanta — Thursday night into early Friday.
-ABC News’ Melissa Griffin
How much rain, storm surge to expect
Ten to 15 feet of dangerous storm surge is forecast for Florida’s Big Bend area. Tampa Bay could see 4 to 8 feet of storm surge.
Four to 8 inches of rain is expected from Helene, with 12 inches locally, bringing major flash flooding.
Tornadoes are also possible on Wednesday and Thursday.
Damaging wind gusts over 100 mph will be possible in Tallahassee and Florida’s Big Bend area during landfall Thursday night.
-ABC News’ Melissa Griffin
Universities, schools close ahead of Helene
Ahead of Helene, Florida A&M University in Tallahassee canceled class from Tuesday afternoon through Friday. The university will be closed Wednesday through Friday.
Florida A&M said this weekend’s home football game and parents’ weekend will be rescheduled.
Florida State University said its Tallahassee campus will be closed from Wednesday morning to Sunday night.
FSU Tallahassee students can stay on campus during the closure, but should plan for possible power outages and be prepared to possibly stay inside all day Thursday, the university warned.
Officials in Florida are also closing public schools in multiple counties, including Pasco, Pinellas, Hernando, Citrus and Sarasota.
Mandatory evacuations have been announced in parts of Charlotte and Franklin counties.
Helene strengthens to tropical storm: Latest forecast
Helene, currently located about 180 miles east southeast of Cozumel, Mexico, strengthened to a tropical storm on Tuesday morning.
The forecast shows Helene moving through the Yucatan Channel Wednesday morning, bringing near hurricane-force wind gusts to Cancun, Mexico.
By Thursday morning, coastal flooding will reach Florida, including Naples and Fort Myers.
On Thursday night, Helene will make landfall near Apalachicola, Florida.
Dangerous wind gusts up to 105 mph are expected and storm surge will be a major threat for the Tampa Bay area.
By Friday morning, the center of Helene will be near Atlanta, bringing strong winds to Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina and North Carolina.
Downed trees and power lines will be a major danger across the Southeast.
The flash flood threat will continue into the weekend in the Tennessee, Ohio and Mississippi River Valleys.
State of emergency declared in 61 Florida counties
Helene is forecast to be a major hurricane by the time it makes landfall Thursday night, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned Monday.
A state of emergency has been declared in 61 of Florida’s 67 counties, DeSantis said.
“The Big Bend and Panhandle should be especially prepared for a direct impact,” the governor said, and he urged residents to know their evacuation zone.
“You have time to be able to put this place into place,” DeSantis said, noting Helene’s impacts could begin Wednesday.
Latest forecast
Helene will strengthen to a hurricane Tuesday night, and rain is expected to begin in Florida Wednesday afternoon into Thursday morning.
On Thursday evening, Helene will make landfall along Florida’s Big Bend area, located between Tallahassee and Gainesville.
Storm surge could reach up to 15 feet in the Big Bend area.
Heavy rain and strong winds are also major threats.
A hurricane watch is in effect for Florida’s Gulf Coast and a tropical storm watch was issued from Orlando to the Florida Keys.
By Thursday night into Friday, the storm will quickly push into Georgia with very heavy rain, gusty winds and possible flash flooding.
This weekend, the storm will stall over the Mid-South, bringing heavy rain and possible flooding to the Tennessee, Ohio and Mississippi River Valleys.
A flood watch has been issued in Florida from Fort Myers to Tampa to Tallahassee, as well as in southern Georgia and Alabama.
