Hurricane Milton: Why Tampa Bay is especially vulnerable to storm surge
(TAMPA, Fla.) — It has been more than 100 years since Florida’s Tampa Bay area – a region especially vulnerable to storm surge and flooding – faced a direct hit by a hurricane.
But Hurricane Milton is now heading straight for Florida’s Gulf Coast, with landfall and a 15-foot storm surge possible in Tampa by late Wednesday night, meaning residents are racing to evacuate ahead of the storm even as they continue to clean up the damage from Hurricane Helene.
Here’s why Hurricane Milton is posing such a threat to the Tampa Bay region:
Why is Tampa susceptible to flooding and storm surge?
The two major surrounding bodies of water – the Gulf of Mexico and surrounding bays – as well as the low-lying coastline make the Tampa Bay area especially susceptible to storm surge, according to experts.
The continental shelf in the Gulf of Mexico extends far offshore, up to 150 miles in some spots, according to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. When water gets “shoved” onto the coast from tropical systems, it has nowhere to go but onto the land, Marshall Shepherd, director of the Atmospheric Sciences Program at the University of Georgia and former president of the American Meteorological Society, told ABC News.
Additionally, when it comes to storm surge, it isn’t the strength of the storm that matters, but rather the size, Shepherd noted. That’s because the larger is the storm system, the longer water gets pushed onto shore, according to Josh Dozor, general manager of medical and security assistance at International SOS, a risk mitigation company, and former deputy assistant administrator of FEMA.
“When you have a large storm, it enables the gradual, continuous buildup of storm surge as it approaches,” Dozor told ABC News. ” … That 10 to 15 feet of storm surge could result in 10 to 15 feet over what is normally dry land.”
It isn’t uncommon for rising waters from Hillsborough Bay, which comprises the northeast arm of Tampa Bay, to spill onto Bayshore Boulevard, a scenic waterfront roadway in South Tampa that serves as recreation for residents, as well as a common route for drivers. Bayshore Boulevard flooded ahead of and during Hurricane Helene, when the storm surge was less than is currently forecast for Hurricane Milton.
Hurricane Helene’s impact is still fresh
The Tampa Bay region is nowhere near done with recovery and cleanup from Hurricane Helene, which made landfall Sept. 30 and brought six feet of storm surge to the Tampa area’s coastlines. The storm’s size allowed for that surge to infiltrate homes and businesses along the Gulf Coast from Cedar Key to Fort Meyers – each of which is about two hours north and south of Tampa, respectively – residents told ABC News.
In Dunedin, Florida, located on the Gulf Coast at the northernmost tip of Tampa Bay, mountains of debris still litter the streets and people were still airing out their belongings when evacuation orders for Hurricane Milton were issued, Dunedin resident Candace Allaire, 39, COO of the Crown & Bull restaurant, told ABC News.
While the restaurant’s newly renovated kitchen weathered the brunt of Helene’s damage, the rest of the neighborhood was destroyed, Allaire said. Many homes for Allaire’s family and employees, as well as neighboring restaurants, had four feet of standing water in them for hours as Helene barreled through, she said.
The emotional toll of Helene less than two weeks ago, and Hurricane Ian two years ago, is still pervasive in the community. Rebecca Kuppler, mother to a 4-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter, lost everything in Hurricane Helene. The family had evacuated to Orlando ahead of the storm and heard from neighbors that the water line was rising higher and higher, she told ABC News.
“It’s not stuff,” Kuppler said of the loss. “It’s our home, it’s the memories, it’s the love, the time you put into that, and that’s what’s been really hard.”
The pile of debris outside of Kuppler’s home was still there as the forecasts for Hurricane Milton began, prompting the family to evacuate yet again.
The back-to-back storms are reminiscent of the 2004 hurricane season, when Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne all struck Florida within a six-week period.
“It’s an extreme amount of stress, and if it happens once in a while, I think people can weather it,” Dozor told ABC News. “But when it happens a couple times a year or a couple times every few years, it takes a great toll on people.”
How climate change is increasing the storm risk in the Tampa Bay region
The extreme threat from hurricanes that the Tampa Bay region faces is also likely being influenced by our changing climate.
Human-amplified climate change is the primary cause for present-day rising sea levels, according to a consensus of climate scientists. It’s also triggering more frequent and more intense extreme rainfall events, experts say.
While many factors contribute to the magnitude and impact of storm surge and coastal flooding, average sea levels for many Gulf Coast communities are more than six inches higher today than they were just a few decades ago, data shows.
Human-amplified climate change also likely affected how fast Hurricane Milton intensified as it tracked over the warmer than average waters of the southern Gulf of Mexico, according to researchers. The record-high sea surface temperatures observed in this region over the past two weeks were made up to 400 to 800 times more likely by climate change, according to a rapid attribution analysis by Climate Central.
Warm ocean waters provide the energy hurricanes need to form and intensify. The warmer the water, the more powerful the storms typically are.
While a link has been established between the unusually warm sea surface temperatures and human-caused climate change, it is not yet known to what degree that climate change may have influenced Hurricane Milton’s development.
How Tampa Bay is preparing for the storm
Mandatory evacuations are in place for six counties in Florida, with Tampa at the center of the threat. Airports, businesses and schools from Tampa to Naples, some 170 miles south, are closing in preparation for Milton.
The Tampa area is one of the top five places for evacuations due to potential storm surge, Dozor said. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor issued a dire warning, urging those in the evacuation zones to heed evacuation mandates.
“If you choose to stay in one of the evacuation areas, you are going to die,” Castor said in an interview with CNN Monday night.
While FEMA and emergency management at the state and local levels report that they are adequately prepared for Hurricane Milton, it is incumbent upon residents to follow instructions and get themselves out of harm’s way in a timely manner, Dozor said. In highly populated cities along the Tampa peninsula, like Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater, it is important for people to leave early because of the limited roadways.
“There are a lot of bottlenecks that hinder quick and efficient movement of populations to be able to leave the peninsula of Tampa,” he said.
It appears that residents are heeding the warnings, Dozor noted. Beginning on Monday, standstill traffic could be seen for miles on I-75 and the Sunshine Skyway, the bridge that spans the Tampa Bay, as residents embarked on a mass exodus to safety.
At 4 a.m. on Tuesday, Candace Allaire and her fiancé evacuated north to Destin, in Florida’s panhandle, to ride out the storm. Fuel was hard to come by in preparation of their road trip, she said.
In addition, hotel availability is most major Florida cities to which residents might evacuate – such as Fort Lauderdale, Gainesville and Jacksonville – is already extremely low, Dozor said.
“All the hotels are reserved for people who’ve obviously been evacuated,” he said.
(SALIDA, Colo.) — A worker on an office hiking retreat to a national forest in Colorado had to be rescued after 14 of his colleagues allegedly left him stranded on a 14,230-foot mountain, authorities said.
“In what might cause some awkward encounters at the office in the coming days and weeks, one member of their party was left to complete his final summit push alone,” Chaffee County, Colorado, Search and Rescue said in a statement.
The team-building expedition gone wrong unfolded Friday on Mt. Shavano in central Colorado’s San Isabel National Forest, according to search-and-rescue officials.
“Initial reports to our communications center indicated a group of 15 hikers on an office retreat had left the Blanks Cabin Trailhead at sunrise that morning, with a group completing summit attempts and a separate group ascending to the saddle [area of the mountain] and returning from there,” rescuers said in the statement.
While 14 employees made it down the mountain safely, rescue officials said one was left to complete the summit push alone.
The lone employee made it to the summit at 11:30 a.m., but when he tried to descend, “he became disoriented,” according to rescue officials.
Making matters worse, his colleagues descending the mountain ahead of him inexplicably collected belongings left in a boulder field to mark the path down, officials said.
“In his initial attempts to descend, he found himself in the steep boulder and scree field on the northeast slopes toward Shavano Lake,” according to officials.
The man, whose name and company were not released, used his cellphone to pin-drop his location to his coworkers, who informed him that he was on the wrong route and instructed him to hike back up to the summit to get to the correct trail down, officials said.
Just before 4 p.m. local time on Friday, he sent another location pin-drop to his colleagues that he was near the correct trail.
“Shortly after that message, a strong storm passed through the area with freezing rain and high winds, and he again became disoriented, losing his cell phone signal as well,” rescue officials said.
When his colleagues didn’t hear from him, they reported him missing to Chaffee County Search and Rescue at 9 p.m., some eight-and-a-half hours after he started his descent, officials said.
A search was immediately launched, but rescue teams on the ground encountered freezing rain and high winds that hampered their hike to the Mt. Shavano summit, officials said. The foul weather also made it difficult to operate a search-and-rescue drone in the area, authorities said.
While an aerial search continued, a rescue helicopter crew flew several search patterns over the area where the lost hiker pin-dropped his last location but found no sign of the man, who was dressed in all black clothing, leaving him to spend the night stranded on the mountain, officials said.
Rescue teams continued to search for the man into Saturday morning and summoned other teams from across the region to help.
The lost hiker regained enough cellphone service Saturday morning to call 911 and report his location, enabling rescuers to find him in a gully near a drainage creek, extract him and take him to a hospital, where he was in stable condition, officials said.
“He reported being very disoriented on his descent and falling at least 20 times on the steep slopes,” rescue officials said in the statement, adding that the hiker was unable to get up after his last fall.
“This hiker was phenomenally lucky to have regained cell service when he did, and to still have enough consciousness and wherewithal to call 911,” said rescue officials.
(NEW YORK) — The Department of Homeland Security’s internal watchdog says it has uncovered an “urgent issue” with how immigration officials handle cases involving unaccompanied migrant children, warning in a new report that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency has been unable to keep track of all unaccompanied minors released from government custody.
The interim report, sent to Congress on Tuesday and obtained by ABC News, said that — in the past five years — more than 32,000 unaccompanied migrant children failed to appear for their immigration court hearings, and ICE was “not able to account” for all of their locations.
“Without an ability to monitor the location and status of [unaccompanied migrant children], ICE has no assurance [they] are safe from trafficking, exploitation, or forced labor,” Inspector General Joseph Cuffari wrote in his interim report.
He urged ICE to “take immediate action to ensure the safety of [unaccompanied children] residing in the United States.”
Cuffari’s report is part of a broader audit of ICE’s ability to track unaccompanied migrant children who have been released or transferred from U.S. custody after entering the country.
According to the interim report, immigration officials transferred more than 448,000 unaccompanied migrant children from 2019 to 2023, spanning both the Trump and Biden administrations. After interviewing more than 100 officials and visiting ten ICE field offices, the inspector general found that immigration officials “cannot always monitor the location and status of unaccompanied migrant children who are released … and [then] did not appear as scheduled in immigration court.”
When unaccompanied migrant children do not show up to court, federal judges will often issue several continuances — to postpone the hearings for months — until they are left with no choice but to issue deportation orders.
Earlier this year, ABC News attended several hearings at immigration court in Hyattsville, Maryland, where federal judges were forced to issue removal orders for unaccompanied migrant children who did not appear for their scheduled hearings. And for those who do appear, only 56% are represented by counsel, according to the Department of Justice.
ABC News previously reported that tens of thousands of unaccompanied young migrants are representing themselves before federal immigration judges due to a litany of issues crippling the court system.
In his interim report, Cuffari said that as of May 2024, more than 291,000 unaccompanied children had not been placed into removal proceedings because ICE had not served them notices to appear or scheduled a court date for them. Accordingly, the number of unaccompanied children who failed to appear for their court dates “may have been much larger” than 32,000 had ICE issued notices or scheduled court dates for those 291,000 children.
“Immigration court hearings are often ICE’s only opportunity to observe and screen [children] for trafficking indicators or other safety concerns,” the interim report said.
So, according to the report, when ICE fails to service notices to appear, or schedule court dates, that “reduces opportunities to verify their safety.”
The report cited a number of key challenges for ICE, noting that, among other issues, “ICE still lacks adequate staffing, which can limit officers’ time and ability to check the location or immigration case status of migrants.”
“Resource constraints also impact [their] ability to issue [notices] to all [unaccompanied children] after their release from HHS’ custody,” the report said.
The report also said that ICE is burdened by “manual, multi-step processes to share information on [children] who do not appear in court.”
The watchdog suggested that Homeland Security officials “develop and implement an automated system to document court appearances and maintain address information of unaccompanied migrant children.”
Agency officials agreed with the watchdog’s recommendation to incorporate an automated tracking mechanism, according to a brief response included with the 18-page interim report. But they also suggested that the assessments in the watchdog’s interim report failed to articulate some structural challenges that complicate their ability to track migrant children and “therefore lead to misunderstandings about the process.”
(NEW YORK) — Helene made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region Thursday night as a massive Category 4 hurricane — the strongest hurricane to make landfall in the Big Bend on record.
Helene has since weakened to a tropical storm and is now pushing through Georgia and the Carolinas, bringing catastrophic rainfall and life-threatening flash flooding as the storm moves toward Tennessee.
Here’s how the news is developing:
15 injured in tornado in Rocky Mount, North Carolina: NWS
More than a dozen people were injured after a tornado tore through Rocky Mount, North Carolina, early Friday afternoon, the National Weather Service in Raleigh said.
Among those injured, four had serious injuries, the NWS said. No one has been reported missing, according to Rocky Mount Fire Chief Darvin Moore.
Fourteen buildings were also damaged, Moore said.
A second tornado was also confirmed Friday morning near Garland in Sampson County, the NWS said. Downed trees and power lines were reported.
Dozens safely evacuated from Tennessee hospital roof amid flooding
Dozens of people were safely evacuated from the roof of Unicoi County Hospital in Erwin, Tennessee, hospital officials said.
Fifty-eight patients and staff became trapped on the roof amid flooding, according to Virginia State Police. They were all safely evacuated via helicopter rescues, officials said.
“I don’t think very many people have seen something like this before,” Ballad Health CEO Alan Levine said during a press briefing following the rescue. “The most important thing is the safety of our employees and patients. Thank God, thanks to the great work of Tennessee and Virginia partnering to help us get this rescue underway, they’re all safe.”
The patients were being transported another hospital, he said.
Death toll rises to 43
At least 43 people have died from Hurricane Helene.
In Georgia, 15 people were killed, including a first responder who was trying to save others, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said.
In McDuffie County, just west of Augusta, a mother and her twin infants were among the victims, officials said.
In Wheeler County, southeast of Macon, a man and a woman were killed after their mobile home overturned, local officials said.
In Florida, 9 people have died.
One person died in Dixie County in the Big Bend region when a tree fell on a home, Gov. Ron DeSantis said, and a second person was killed on Interstate 4 near Tampa when a sign fell on a car.
Five others died in Pinellas County, according to the sheriff.
Two were killed in North Carolina. In Charlotte, one person was killed when a tree fell on a house, according to the Mecklenburg EMS Agency, and another person died in a traffic accident in Catawba County, officials said.
Seventeen people have died in South Carolina, including two firefighters in Saluda County, Gov. Henry McMaster said.
Impact of Hurricane Helene ‘looks bad’: Biden
President Joe Biden told reporters that the impact of Hurricane Helene “looks bad,” citing more than two dozen dead, but that they “don’t have enough information.”
He was asked by ABC News’ Karen Travers about his briefing with his team on the storm effects while on the tarmac in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, Friday afternoon.
-ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart
Nearly 4.5 million without power across the South
Nearly 4.5 million customers lost power across the South Friday in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
More than 1.2 million are without power in South Carolina and more than 900,000 are without power in North Carolina.
More than 940,000 customers are without power in Georgia and nearly 830,000 are without power in Florida.
More than 50 health care facilities are operating on generator power across Florida, officials said.
Death toll rises to 34
At least 34 people have died from Hurricane Helene.
In Georgia, 11 people were killed, including a first responder who was trying to save others, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said.
In McDuffie County, just west of Augusta, a mother and her twin infants were among the victims, officials said.
In Wheeler County, southeast of Macon, a man and a woman were killed after their mobile home overturned, local officials said.
In Florida, seven people have died.
One person died in Dixie County in the Big Bend region when a tree fell on a home, Gov. Ron DeSantis said, and a second person was killed on Interstate 4 near Tampa when a sign fell on a car.
Five others died in Pinellas County, according to the sheriff.
Two were killed in North Carolina. In Charlotte, one person was killed when a tree fell on a house, according to the Mecklenburg EMS Agency, and another person died in a traffic accident in Catawba County, officials said.
Fourteen people have died in South Carolina, including two firefighters in Saluda County, Gov. Henry McMaster said.
Helene has been downgraded to a tropical depression but it is still bringing catastrophic and potentially life-threatening flooding to the Southeast. People should be prepared for flash flooding, river flooding and landslides.
Busick, in western North Carolina, recorded nearly 30 inches of rain this week from Helene and a previous storm.
Meanwhile, water levels are receding along Florida’s Gulf Coast after Hurricane Helene’s intense storm surge. Water levels reached more than 15 feet above ground level in some areas.
Helene is expected to continue to weaken and stall over the Tennessee and Ohio valleys this weekend, bringing more heavy rain, gusty winds and flooding.
A flood watch is in effect from Missouri to Virginia. Up to 6 inches of rain is possible in some areas.
A tornado watch is also in effect for parts of North Carolina and Virginia. Several tornadoes have already been reported in North Carolina.
Vice President Harris briefed on Helene
Vice President Kamala Harris was briefed again Friday on Hurricane Helene, a White House official said.
“Over 1,500 federal personnel have been deployed to the region, including 930 Urban Search and Rescue workers, as well medical teams and power restoration teams,” the White House official said. “The Administration stands ready to provide additional support as needed and remains in close touch with officials at the state and local level.”
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement, “Our hearts break for the families who have lost loved ones, for those who have lost their homes and businesses, and for those who are otherwise suffering from the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene.”
Over 900 flights canceled
Over 900 flights have been canceled nationwide on Friday.
The airports facing the most cancellations are Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Tampa International Airport in Florida.
The Tampa airport, which was closed all day Thursday, has since reopened.
Rescue operations underway in Georgia
In Valdosta, Georgia, search and rescue teams are trying to reach people trapped inside heavily damaged buildings, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said.
“We are asking for patience as we prioritize critical medical emergencies and essential services,” he said.
Hurricane Helene shifted slightly from its predicted path in Georgia, hitting hard between Valdosta and Augusta.
Atlanta is facing major flooding.
More than 4 million without power across the South
More than 4 million customers lost power across the South Friday in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
Over 1 million customers are without power in Georgia and 900,000 are without power in Florida.
More than 50 health care facilities are operating on generator power across Florida, officials said.
Another 1.2 million are without power in South Carolina and 700,000 are without power in North Carolina.
Death toll rises to 26
At least 26 people have died from Hurricane Helene.
In Georgia, 11 people were killed, including a first responder who was trying to save others, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said.
In McDuffie County, just west of Augusta, a mother and her twin infants were among the victims, officials said.
In Wheeler County, southeast of Macon, a man and a woman were killed after their mobile home overturned, local officials said.
In Florida, seven people have died.
One person died in Dixie County in the Big Bend region when a tree fell on a home, Gov. Ron DeSantis said, and a second person was killed on Interstate 4 near Tampa when a sign fell on a car.
Five others died in Pinellas County, according to the sheriff.
In Charlotte, North Carolina, one person was killed when a tree fell on a house, according to the Mecklenburg EMS Agency, and another person died in a traffic accident in Catawba County, officials said.
Six people have died in South Carolina: two in Anderson County and four in Aiken County, officials said.
Mandatory evacuations ordered amid ‘catastrophic rain’ in North Carolina
Mandatory evacuations are in place for some residents of Asheville in western North Carolina as “catastrophic rain” causes severe flooding in the region.
Over 100 people have been rescued from the rising waters and numerous landslides have been reported during the “fierce storm,” North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said Friday.
Cooper said the “priority now is saving lives.”
“People in western North Carolina should consider all roads closed unless you are seeking higher ground,” he said.
Parts of North Carolina have recorded up to 15 inches of rain, with more expected through Friday. Some areas are expecting as much as 20 inches
Helene is bringing catastrophic and potentially life-threatening flooding to the Southeast on Friday morning. Flash flood emergencies are in effect in five states: Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
Helene is forecast to drop another 3 to 6 inches of rain on the central and southern Appalachians, bringing rain totals to 6 to 12 inches, with isolated totals around 20 inches
Residents should be prepared for flash flooding, urban flooding, river flooding and landslides.
Meanwhile, water levels are receding along Florida’s Gulf Coast after Hurricane Helene’s intense storm surge. Water levels reached more than 15 feet above ground level in some areas.
Helene is currently at tropical storm strength and is located over the Blue Ridge Mountains along the North Carolina-Tennessee border.
The storm is expected to slow down soon and stall over the Tennessee Valley Friday night and through the weekend, dropping another 6 inches of rain.
Over 800 flights canceled
Over 800 flights have been canceled nationwide on Friday.
The airports facing the most cancellations are Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Tampa International Airport in Florida.
The Tampa airport, which was closed all day Thursday, has since reopened.
Death toll rises to 7
At least seven people have died as Hurricane Helene slams the South.
In Charlotte, North Carolina, one person was killed and another was injured when a tree fell on a house, according to the Mecklenburg EMS Agency.
Two people died in Laurens County in central Georgia, according to local officials. Two others died in nearby Wheeler County, Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp confirmed.
In Florida, one person died in Dixie County in the Big Bend region when a tree fell on a home, Gov. Ron DeSantis said. A second person was killed on Interstate 4 near Tampa when a sign fell on a car, the governor said.
-ABC News’ Ahmad Hemingway
Over 700 flights canceled
Over 700 flights have been canceled nationwide on Friday.
The airports facing the most cancellations are Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Tampa International Airport in Florida.
The Tampa airport, which was closed all day Thursday, has since reopened.
More than 4 million without power across the South
More than 4 million customers are waking up without power across the South Friday morning in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
Over 1 million customers are without power in Georgia and another 1 million are without power in Florida.
More than 50 health care facilities are operating on generator power across Florida, officials said.
Another 1.3 million are without power in South Carolina and 600,000 are without power in North Carolina.
Flash flood emergency issued in Atlanta; baby, 2 adults rescued on top of car
A flash flood emergency has been issued in Atlanta, where 4 to 6 inches of rain has fallen so far.
More than 25 people have been rescued from life-threatening floodwaters in Atlanta, officials said.
Unexpected swift currents trapped a family of two adults and an infant on top of their car, and crews used a rope and a boat to help them to safety, Atlanta Fire Rescue said.
Another 1 or 2 inches of rain is possible, and the rainfall rate is expected to be 1 to 2 inches in 1 hour, the National Weather Service said.
Residents are urged to seek higher ground.
Atlanta Public Schools are closed on Friday.
Flash flood emergencies are also in effect in Asheville, North Carolina, and Clemson, South Carolina.
-ABC News’ Faith Abubey
‘The water came in from everywhere’
JoAnn Martino told ABC News the water reached 2 feet inside her home in St. Pete Beach, Florida, just outside of St. Petersburg.
“The water came in from everywhere all at once,” she said.
“After using all our funds to rebuild after [Hurricane] Ian [in 2022], we just don’t know what we will do this time,” she said. “We’ve lost everything again.”
-ABC News’ Helena Skinner
Video shows deputy rescuing teen from flooded car
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office in Tampa, Florida, released dramatic video showing the moment one of its deputies rescued a teenage girl who was trapped in her car in rising floodwaters. The deputy lifted her out of her car and drove her to safety.
More than 3 million without power across the South
More than 3 million customers are waking up without power across the South Friday morning in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
More than 1.1 million customers are without power in Florida and another 1.1 million are without power in South Carolina.
More than 1 million lost power in Georgia and another 400,000 are without power in North Carolina.
Flash flood emergency issued in Atlanta
A flash flood emergency has been issued in Atlanta, where 4 to 6 inches of rain has fallen so far.
More than 25 people have been rescued from floodwaters in Atlanta, officials said.
Another 1 or 2 inches is possible, and the rainfall rate is expected to be 1 to 2 inches in 1 hour, the National Weather Service said.
The life-threatening “flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly,” the NWS warned.
Residents are urged to seek higher ground.
Atlanta Public Schools are closed on Friday.
Flash flood emergencies are also in effect in Asheville, North Carolina, and Clemson, South Carolina.
Helene death toll rises to 6
At least six people have died as Hurricane Helene slams the South.
In Charlotte, North Carolina, one person was killed and another was injured when a tree fell on a house, according to the Mecklenburg EMS Agency.
Two people died in Laurens County in central Georgia, according to local officials. Two others died in nearby Wheeler County, Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp confirmed.
In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday that one person was killed on the I-4 highway near Tampa when a sign fell on a car.
-ABC News’ Ahmad Hemingway
Mandatory evacuations ordered amid ‘catastrophic rain’ in North Carolina
Mandatory evacuations are in place for some residents of Asheville in western North Carolina as severe flooding from Hurricane Helene hits the state.
Evacuations were ordered for the Swannanoa River Valley area due to a high risk of flooding from the “catastrophic rain,” officials said.
Parts of the state have recorded up to 15 inches of rain, with more expected through Friday. Some areas are expecting as much as 20 inches of rain through the course of the storm. Dangerous landslides are also expected.
Water rescues and flooded homes have been reported in Haywood County, just west of Asheville.
-ABC News’ Max Golembo
Helene death toll rises to 4
At least four people have died as Hurricane Helene slams the South.
In Charlotte, North Carolina, one person was killed and another was injured when a tree fell on a house, according to the Mecklenburg EMS Agency.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said he and his family were “saddened to learn of the loss of two lives in Wheeler County” on Thursday night. “As we join their families in mourning their deaths, we urge all Georgians to brace for further impact from Helene, remain vigilant and pray for all those affected,” he said.
In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday that one person was killed on the I-4 highway near Tampa when a sign fell on a car.
-ABC News’ Ahmad Hemingway
More than 2 million without power across the South
More than 2 million customers are waking up without power across the South Friday morning in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
More than 1.2 million customers are without power in Florida and over 800,000 are in the dark in Georgia.
More than 500,000 lost power in South Carolina and more than 190,000 are without power in North Carolina.
200 rescued from rising waters in Pasco County, Florida
About 200 people have been rescued overnight from the rising floodwaters in Pasco County, Florida, just north of Tampa, according to the Pasco Sheriff’s Office.
The water is receding Friday morning and rescue calls have slowed, authorities said.
25 rescued from flooding in Atlanta
The Atlanta Fire Rescue Department said it rescued more than 25 people using rafts in a flooded area in the north of the city.
Around 11 people were rescued at the Peachtree Park Apartments building where a creek is overflowing. Rescuers arrived there at around 1:30 a.m.
Some residents were transported out of the area by bus, while others refused to leave. Those evacuated are being taken to shelters.
-ABC News’ Faith Abubey
Helene weakens to tropical storm
Hurricane Helene was downgraded to a tropical storm around 100 miles southeast of Atlanta early on Friday, as its sustained wind speed slowed to 70 mph.
Life-threatening winds, flash flooding, rain and storm surge are ongoing through Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
Helene is expected to slow and weaken as it travels north-northwest through Georgia toward the Tennessee-North Carolina border, the National Hurricane Center said.
Helene is projected to turn post-tropical on Friday afternoon or Friday night, the NHC said.
“However, the fast forward speed will allow strong, damaging winds, especially in gusts, to penetrate well inland across the southeastern United States, including over the higher terrain of the southern Appalachians,” the NHC said.
-ABC News’ Max Golembo
65 people rescued from flooding on Florida highway
Members of the Pasco Sheriff’s Office and Pasco County Fire Rescue were working through the night and into the early morning responding to water rescue calls along the US-19 corridor on Florida’s Gulf coast.
As of 3:30 a.m. ET, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office said a total of 65 people were rescued, with additional efforts ongoing.
Emergency services received more than 100 calls for assistance due to flooding, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office wrote on Facebook.
-ABC News’ Ahmad Hemingway
Helene’s center to pass east of Macon, Georgia
The center of Hurricane Helene is projected to pass east of Macon, Georgia, after 3 a.m. ET, according to the latest forecast.
The storm is expected to slow and weaken on Friday, turning northwestward to move through Georgia toward the Tennessee-North Carolina border, the National Hurricane Center said.
-ABC News’ Richard Von Ohlen
Helene downgraded to Category 1
Hurricane Helene was downgraded to a Category 1 hurricane in the early hours of Friday having moved around 100 miles inland into Florida and Georgia.
Its sustained winds dropped to 90 mph, with further weakening expected through to 5 a.m. ET.
Helene is maintaining speed at around 26 mph, heading north-northeast through central Georgia.
Macon, Atlanta, and Augusta are expected to experience damaging winds and torrential rain over the next two to three hours.
“Life-threatening storm surge, winds and heavy rains continue,” the National Hurricane Center wrote on X.
-ABC News’ Richard Von Ohlen
People told to ‘remain in place’ as Category 2 Helene moves into southern Georgia
The National Hurricane Center has warned residents to “remain in place” as Hurricane Helene moves into southern Georgia as a Category 2 storm.
NHC advises people not to step outside when the calm of the eye is over them, as winds will increase after Helene passes.
Helene made landfall in Perry, Florida, as a Category 4, with 140 mph winds, but the speed of its maximum sustained winds has dropped to 110 mph.
The hurricane is moving across land at 26 mph.
Meanwhile, more than 200,000 customers are without power in Georgia, according to poweroutage.us.
-ABC News’ Richard Von Ohlen
Wind gusts in Perry, Florida, clock in at 99 mph
Hurricane Helene has brought strong wind gusts across Florida’s West Coast.
Perry, where Helene made landfall, recorded wind gusts of 99 mph.
Sarasota-Bradenton Airport in Sarasota reported gusts of 74 mph.
Tampa International Airport saw 68 mph winds
St. Petersburg reported wind gusts of 82 mph.
Clearwater Beach recorded 75 mph winds.
A maritime station in Cedar Key recorded wind gusts of 84 mph, while Egmont Channel noted 81 mph.
Hurricane Helene is now a Category 4 storm
As Hurricane Helene nears landfall in Florida, the storm has grown to Category 4 strength with 130 mph winds.
Red Cross calls for blood donations ahead of Hurricane Helene
After blood shortages in August, the American Red Cross told ABC News the organization’s blood supply is no longer at emergency levels, but encouraged people in areas unaffected by Hurricane Helene to donate.
Ahead of the storm’s landfall in Florida, the Red Cross sent hundreds of blood products to Florida, and distributed blood products to ensure blood remains available for patients in the affected areas.
“Our immediate concern is the potential interruption of our blood collection efforts in the Southeast due to Hurricane Helene. We anticipate a number of blood drives in the impacted areas to be canceled or otherwise affected in the coming days, disrupting our ability to collect necessary and lifesaving blood products,” a Red Cross spokesperson told ABC News.
“We really need people in unaffected areas to step up and donate blood to help make up for the uncollected donations that will result from Hurricane Helene,” the spokesperson added.
Over 200,000 customers without power in Southern states
As of 5:00 p.m. ET, 205,914 customers are without power in the South with most of the outages in Florida, where Hurricane Helene is expected to make landfall Thursday evening.
There are 181,621 customers in Florida without power.
North Carolina power outages rose to 13,223 customers.
And there are over 11,000 customers without power in Georgia.
Harris addresses Hurricane Helene: ‘Take this storm very seriously’
Vice President Kamala Harris began a White House event on gun violence Thursday by first addressing Hurricane Helene, forecast to make landfall in Florida tonight.
“The president and I, of course, are monitoring the case and the situation closely, and we urge everyone who is watching at this very moment to take this storm very seriously and please follow the guidance of the local officials,” Harris said.
Harris said she and President Biden will continue working with state and local officials “to ensure that everyone is safe and to protect communities before, during and after the storm,” Harris said.
Hurricane Helene still on track to become Category 4 storm at landfall
Helene is still expected to be a hazardous Category 4 hurricane when it makes landfall in Florida Thursday between 9:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. ET, with winds of at least 130 mph.
Currently a Category 3 hurricane, Helene’s maximum sustained winds have increased to 125mph with higher gusts. Additional strengthening is likely to continue leading up to landfall.
At 5:00 p.m. ET, Helene was located 130 miles west of Tampa and 175 miles south of Tallahassee.
Helene is a very large storm with hurricane-force winds extending outward up to 60 miles from the center and tropical-storm force winds extending outward up to 310 miles from the center.
-ABC News’ Melissa Griffin
Over 173,000 customers without power in Florida
More than 173,000 customers in Florida have lost power so far as Hurricane Helene nears landfall.
At least 1,200 flights canceled
Airlines have canceled at least 1,200 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.
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.
‘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
‘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.