At a Glance
- Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane.
- At least one person is dead in Florida and two in Georgia.
- More than 1 million power outages were reported in Florida after landfall.
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At least three people are dead and more than 1 million without power in the Southeast after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida's Big Bend region Thursday night.
The storm ripped down trees and power lines and sent storm surge rushing over streets and into homes and businesses.
Sunrise Friday will only begin to bring the full scope of damage into view.
“When Floridians wake up tomorrow morning, we’re going to be waking up to a state where very likely there’s been additional loss of life and certainly there’s going to be loss of property," Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a Thursday night news conference.
The storm's dangerous trek continued into the Southeast.
(MORE: Hurricane Tracker Maps | Latest Forecast)
Here are our live updates as the storm moved through the Gulf and onto land Thursday:
(11:48 p.m. ET) Three Of Last Five U.S. Landfalls Happened In The Big Bend
Helene is the third hurricane landfall for Florida’s Big Bend region in less than 13 months, according to weather.com senior meteorologist Jonathan Erdman.
First there was Idalia last year, and then Debby in August of this year.
And all of these happened within 25 miles of each other.
(11:20 p.m. ET) Two Dead In Georgia
Two people are dead after a possible tornado hit a mobile home in South Georgia, according to Wheeler County Sheriff Randy Rigdon.
Wheeler County is about 140 miles southeast of Atlanta.
(11:12 p.m. ET) Florida Power Outages Near 1 Million
More than 920,000 homes and businesses are without electricity, according to poweroutage.us. The outages stretch across 17 counties along the Gulf Coast from Collier to Franklin as well as into numerous counties across northeast Florida.
(10:41 p.m. ET) Hurricane Helene Making Landfall In Florida
The eye of the storm is coming ashore in Taylor County, Florida, about 40 miles southeast of Tallahassee and 165 miles northwest of Tampa.
(10:03 p.m. ET) Helene Turns Deadly
The first death attributed to Helene is confirmed in Florida tonight.
It happened when an overhead sign fell on a vehicle on Interstate 4 near the Ybor City section of Tampa. Further details weren't immediately available.
Wind gusts up to at least 82 mph have been reported in the Tampa Bay area.
(9:57 p.m. ET) Where's Jim Cantore?
The Weather Channel's Jim Cantore is reporting live tonight from Tallahassee, Florida.
The state capital, about 20 miles north of the coast, could see major impacts from Helene. It's also where officials are hunkered down in the state's Emergency Operations Center.
"This is one of the hugest hurricanes we will ever have in the Big Bend, certainly on record," Cantore said in an earlier live shot.
(9:38 p.m. ET) Gulf Coast Beach Resort Flooded
Video shared by local news outlet Bay News 9 shows what appears to be deep water swirling in the lobby of the All Seasons Vacation Resort in Madeira Beach, Florida.
The resort is on a barrier island in Pinellas County, where bridges are closed and a mandatory evacuation is in place.
(9:32 p.m. ET) Flooding, Evacuations In Heavy North Carolina Rainfall
Residents and campers in several flood-prone areas of North Carolina are being advised to evacuate as heavy rainfall batters the region ahead of Helene. There have been reports of swiftwater rescues in the northwest part of the state.
Among the counties impacted are Alexander, Avery, Burke, Haywood, McDowell, Mecklenburg and Transylvania.
The National Weather Service has logged more than 70 reports of flash flooding today from Georgia to Virginia.
(WATCH: Don't Do What This Asheville Driver Did)
(9:21 p.m. ET) Urban Search And Rescue Teams Deploy To Florida
Several specialized urban search and rescue teams are ready to enter hard-hit areas as soon as it's possible to do so.
Florida Task Force One from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue was staged in Ocala in Central Florida earlier today. The teams' members are veterans of several hurricanes and other disasters.
(8:59 p.m. ET) Helene Continues To Strengthen As Florida Landfall Nears
Hurricane Helene is currently packing maximum sustained winds of 140 mph, according to the latest update from the National Hurricane Center.
Helene, a Category 4 hurricane, is located about 65 miles west of Cedar Key, Florida, and 90 miles south of Tallahassee. The storm is moving north-northeast at 24 mph.
(8:46 p.m. ET) Shelter In Place In Pinellas County, Florida
Residents In Pinellas County, which includes the cities of St. Petersburg and Clearwater, are being told to stay inside due to rapidly deteriorating conditions.
"Hurricane Helene is bringing storm surge flooding, tropical storm force winds, rain, fallen trees and power lines," read an update posted to social media by the county about 20 minutes ago. "Roads may be flooded, power lines may be down and traffic lights might not work. A car can be washed away or disabled by only a foot of water on the road."
(7:59 p.m. ET) Atlanta Braces For Helene
From weather.com senior news editor Dave Siff:
Atlanta, the biggest city in the South and Georgia’s capital, is in dangerous, unfamiliar territory as it braces for possible tropical storm-force winds from Hurricane Helene overnight into Friday.
“Prepare for the worst and hope for the best,” was the message from Mayor Andre Dickens.
A storm system ahead of Helene brought up to 5 inches of rain to metro Atlanta on Wednesday and Thursday, with more expected before Helene’s effects move out of the area Friday.
All that rain on already saturated ground in a city known for its abundance of foliage has raised fears of falling trees and power outages.
Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency for all of the state’s 159 counties.
The Weather Channel’s Reynolds Wolf is there as the weather situation goes downhill.
(7:52 p.m. ET) 76 MPH Wind Gust At Tampa Bay Airport
Here's a look at some recent wind reports tracked by the National Weather Service:
-76 mph wind gust at Albert Whitted Airport in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida.
-66 mph gust across the state at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
-57 mph at Cedar Key, north of Tampa Bay and closer to where Helene will make landfall.
(WATCH: Huge Waves In Cedar Key Ahead Of Helene)
(7:38 p.m. ET) Helene Spotted From International Space Station
The ISS travels at a speed of about 17,500 mph and orbits Earth every 90 minutes, giving astronauts onboard the opportunity for stunning views of Hurricane Helene.
(7:19 p.m. ET) Wind, Waves Slamming Bridges Damaged By Hurricane Ian
Wind and waves are battering the Sanibel Causeway and the Matlacha Bridge near Fort Myers in Lee County.
While both bridges remain open, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office has deputies stationed on the Matlacha Bridge warning motorists to cross at their own risk due to storm surge flooding.
Both bridges were heavily damaged two years ago by Hurricane Ian, and became enduring symbols of that storm’s devastation and recovery.
(WATCH: Traffic Cams Capture Helene's Approach To Florida)
(6:57 p.m. ET) Sobering Message To Anyone Who Didn't Evacuate
From an update posted earlier today by the Taylor County Sheriff's Office - Division Of Emergency Management:
"If you or someone you know chose not to evacuate, PLEASE write your name, birthday and important information on your arm or leg in A PERMANENT MARKER so that you can be identified and family notified."
Taylor County is in Florida's Big Bend region, where the worst of Helene's storm surge is expected. The entire county of about 22,000 people is under a mandatory evacuation order.
(6:29 p.m. ET) Hurricane Helene Strengthens To Category 4
Hurricane hunters have now clocked maximum sustained winds of 130 mph in Helene, making the storm a Category 4 hurricane.
That means the storm brings a very high risk of injury or death as well as destruction to homes and buildings.
(6:22 p.m. ET) Evacuees Gather In Tallahassee Area Shelters
Area residents are hunkering down for the night in shelters in Leon County, Florida.
(6:15 p.m. ET) Winds, Torrential Rain Slam Southwest Florida
From weather.com writer Jenn Jordan:
As Hurricane Helene intensified offshore, fierce winds and torrential rain lashed Cape Coral in Southwest Florida, creating a chaotic scene. Home surveillance footage captured one of Helene’s outer bands arriving in town, blowing against windows and tearing apart a fence.
A tornado watch was issued in the region ahead of Helene’s arrival.
(WATCH: Winds Roar As Wrath Of Hurricane Helene Arrives)
(5:47 p.m. ET) 'Last Chance’ To Leave As Pinellas County Bridges Close
Beach towns in Pinellas County are cut off from the mainland when the bridges close. County government said in an update on Facebook that's expected to happen at about 6 p.m. ET.
"If your road is not flooded and it is safe to leave, NOW IS YOUR LAST CHANCE to evacuate. If you do not leave, first responders may not be able to get to you for hours in severe storm conditions," the county update said.
Pinellas County is a peninsula surrounded by Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Its heavily populated barrier islands include the communities of St. Pete Beach, Treasure Island, Madeira Beach, Redington Shores, Indian Rocks Beach and Clearwater Beach.
Those areas are already under a mandatory evacuation, but that doesn't mean everybody left.
The Sunshine Skyway bridge across Tampa Bay was closed earlier, and other primary bridge routes are also closed or closing soon, including the Howard Frankland Bridge and the Courtney Campbell Causeway.
(5:33 p.m. ET) Power Outages Soar In Florida
Power outages are climbing steadily, with more than 200,000 in Florida, according to poweroutage.us. More than half of those are in or just south of the Tampa Bay area, including:
-Pinellas County with 26,767.
-Hillsborough County with 30,700.
-Manatee County with 25,819.
-Sarasota County with 36,470.
(5:17 p.m. ET) Helene Could Be A Category 4 Hurricane By Landfall
Hurricane Helene is currently about 130 miles west of Tampa and 170 miles south of Tallahassee, Florida, according to the National Hurricane Center's latest advisory. The storm has picked up pace and is moving north/northeast at about 23 mph.
Maximum sustained winds are 125 mph.
The track continues to show Helene making landfall tonight somewhere around Florida's Big Bend region.
(4:48 p.m. ET) Hundreds Of Flight Cancellations And Delays In And Out Of Florida
From weather.com senior photo editor Nicole Bonaccorso:
More than 900 flights into and out of Florida are canceled due to Helene, according to FlightAware.com. Delays into and out of the state topped 500 late Thursday afternoon.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport posted on X Thursday morning to urge travelers flying into and out of Atlanta to check flight statuses and waitlines online and to arrive at the airport early due to the weather.
(4:03 p.m. ET) Waffle Houses Shutting Down
Locals in hurricane-prone towns like to say there are two signs a storm is going to be bad:
1. When The Weather Channel’s Jim Cantore shows up.
2. When the Waffle House closes.
Both are happening right now in parts of Florida where Hurricane Helene could have big impacts.
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Waffle House restaurants are closed or shutting down in several locations including Tallahassee and Crawfordville, between Tallahassee and the Gulf Coast.
And it’s not just Florida. Local news reports say Waffle Houses in Lowndes County, Georgia, are also shutting their doors until Helene passes.
Waffle House closures have taken on almost mystical stature when it comes to predicting how bad a hurricane might be. Even the Federal Emergency Management Agency references the “Waffle House Index.”
(WATCH: How Big Is Hurricane Helene? Waffle House Closed)
(3:44 p.m. ET) Florida Power Outages Top 100,000
From weather.com senior photo editor Nicole Bonaccorso:
More than 114,000 homes, businesses and other utility customers are without electricity in Florida, according to poweroutage.us. Most of the outages are currently concentrated in the southern part of the state, with more than 19,000 out in Miami-Dade County and 16,000 in Collier County.
Georgia power outages are hovering around 13,000 and about 20,000 customers are without power in North Carolina.
(3:35 p.m. ET) Highest Danger Overnight
From weather.com seniore meteorologist Chris Dolce:
Heavy rain and possible flooding will continue to pummel areas from Florida to Georgia and the southern Appalachians. Major to possibly record river flooding could occur on some rivers in western North Carolina, upstate South Carolina and eastern Tennessee by tomorrow from what could be storm totals of up to 20 inches, locally.
Power outages could last for days near where the center tracks inland through northern Florida and southern Georgia. Numerous power outages and downed trees could occur in other parts of Georgia to western North Carolina.
(3:06 p.m. ET) Sunshine Skyway Closed Over Tampa Bay
The Sunshine Skyway, which stretches several miles across Tampa Bay between Pinellas County and Manatee County, is closed due to Hurricane Helene.
The bridge is a major artery in the region and well-known landmark. But it's also known for dangerous weather.
A foggy 54-car pileup on the bridge killed one person and injured two dozen others in December, 1996, prompting new safety measures including closures for hazardous conditions.
The current bridge was built in 1987 to replace the original, which partially collapsed when a freighter hit it during stormy weather in 1980. That incident left 35 people dead.
(2:50 p.m. ET) Helene Will Mark Fourth Gulf Coast Hurricane Landfall This Year
From weather.com meteorologist Jennifer Gray:
Three other hurricanes - Beryl, Debby and Francine - have made landfall so far this year on the U.S. Gulf Coast. We've only ever seen that high a number in five other hurricane seasons on record.
In all, there have been nine named storms and seven landfalls in the Atlantic Basin this year.
And with a little more than two months left to go in the official season, we could see the tropics continue to be active.
(MORE: 2024 Hurricane Season More About Storm Tracks Than Number)
(2:32 p.m. ET) Helene Now A Category 3 Hurricane
The National Hurricane Center just upgraded Helene to a Category 3 storm, based on an Air Force hurricane hunters reconnaissance flight. The storm is now packing maximum sustained winds near 120 mph.
Hurricane Helene is expected to strengthen even more before making landfall in Florida's Big Bend region.
(2:11 p.m.) Helene Moving Northward In Gulf
The storm is currently about 195 miles southwest of Tampa and 230 miles south of Apalachicola, Florida, moving north-northeast at about 16 mph. Maximum sustained winds are 100 mph. Landfall is expected tonight.
(1:26 p.m. ET) Waves Crashing, Roads Flooding In St. Pete Beach
From weather.com senior photo editor Nicole Bonaccorso:
Photos from St. Pete Beach, Florida, show Helene's impacts in the Gulf-front community along Tampa Bay. Click here for our full slideshow of photos from the storm so far.
(1:14 p.m. ET) Rainfall's Duration Will Make Impacts Worse
From weather.com senior graphics meteorologist Dina Knightly:
Be careful of inland flooding. Even if the intensity of the rainfall does not seem that bad, it is the duration of the rainfall. Soaked soil can loosen trees that can take down power lines. Do not drive through a road that has flowing water or where you cannot see the lines on the roads. As a parent with teen drivers myself, make sure they know to turn around and not chance anything.
(1:11 p.m. ET) Waters Rise In Southwest Florida
From weather.com writer Jenn Jordan:
Parts of the Southwest Florida Gulf Coast are already feeling the first waves of Hurricane Helene, including downtown Naples, where streets are flooded.
In Fort Myers, residents are on high alert as they prepare for Helene. The Lee County Sheriff shared footage of worsening conditions there.
Further north in the Tampa Bay area, the city of St. Petersburg is also experiencing significant flooding. The National Hurricane Center has warned of potentially life-threatening storm surge on Florida's West Coast, where evacuations are underway in all or parts of several counties.
(12:40 p.m. ET) Road, Bridge Closures Announced In Sarasota
The Sarasota Police Department and Florida Department of Transportation announced multiple road and bridge closures in Sarasota. Authorities advised for the usage of the Stickney Point bridge until conditions make it unsafe to do so.
-The John Ringling Causeway is closed west of Bird Key.
-The north entrance to Siesta Key (at Siesta Dr) is closed.
(12:38 p.m. ET) Heavy Rainfall, Winds So Far
Rains are already stacking up ahead of Helene's landfall and move inland. North Carolina's Asheville Regional Airport recorded 8 inches in the past 36 hours. Apalachicola, Florida, saw 6.45 inches in that same time period.
Peak wind gusts in Florida so far are:
-Naples, 56 mph
-Key West, 55 mph
-Marathon, 53 mph
-Ft. Myers, 47 mph
-Sarasota, 46 mph
(12:15 p.m. ET) Electric Vehicles, Batteries Pose Major Risk
As waters rise in parts of Florida and the Southeast ahead of Helene’s expected landfall, officials in Pasco County, Florida, are warning about the danger posed by electric vehicles and saltwater. Cars with rechargeable batteries should be moved to higher ground. This also applies to other electric vehicles such as golf carts, electric scooters and electric bicycles with lithium-ion batteries.
Saltwater can cause lithium-ion batteries to catch fire, like these EVs did after Idalia last year. These type of fires are very difficult to extinguish.
(11:45 a.m. ET) Universal Orlando Expands Closure
Despite earlier statement indicating they would only close the Volcano Bay water park, Universal Orlando Resort has now altered their closure to the following for Thursday, September 26:
-Halloween Horror Nights is canceled.
-Universal Volcano Bay is closed.
-Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure will close at their regularly scheduled times, 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. respectively.
-Hotels will remain operational.
(11:35 a.m. ET) Reminder: Blue Skies Don’t Indicate Safety
St. Petersburg, Florida, officials reminded residents via social media that blue skies do not correlate to safety from a hurricane. Despite blue skies, water levels are rising.
(11:25 a.m. ET) NC River Forecast To Surpass 1916, 2004 Records
According to the river forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Swannanoa River at Biltmore, North Carolina, could reach a crest of 21 feet — higher than the record flood of 1916 and the second worst set by Hurricane Frances in 2004. Video from Biltmore Village showed flooding already occurring Wednesday night. In a statement, Biltmore Village officials said, "While the roads are closed, not all roads have barriers at this time. We are working with the City of Asheville to ensure we have enough safety signage. Please do not drive through standing water - if it looks questionable, turn around."
(10:55 a.m. ET) Waves Crash Onto Tampa Bridge Roadway
A Florida511 traffic camera showed rough waves crashing over roadway barricades, spraying water onto the pavement below. The video was taken on the Howard Frankland bridge headed north toward Tampa Bay. As of now, the bridge remains open.
(10:35 a.m. ET) Flooding ‘Only Just Beginning’ In St. Petersburg
The St. Pete Police Department shared multiple videos of flooding in St. Petersburg, Florida. “And we're only just beginning to get the effects of the storm,” the department added.
(10:20 a.m. ET) Roads Flooded In Collier County, Florida
The Collier County Sheriff’s Office announced that multiple roads are closed, some flooded.
-In the Bayshore Drive area: Hamilton Avenue, Danford Street, Becca Avenue, Shoreview Drive and Weeks Avenue are impassable.
-Estey Avenue is flooded at Holiday Lane.
-Brookside Drive is flooded.
-Gulf Harbor Drive is flooded.
-Goodland Drive is flooded.
(10:00 a.m. ET) Shelter-Bound Buses Will Stop Running Once Unsafe
The Florida Division of Emergency Management advised that residents needing assistance evacuating to a shelter are running out of time. Buses are currently running but will cease to do so when it becomes unsafe. “There's expected to be life-threatening storm surge along the coast along with strong winds,” the agency wrote on X. “Don't wait to evacuate!”
(9:00 a.m. ET) Flooding In Sarasota, Florida
Video posted to X shows flooding occurring in downtown Sarasota, Florida, ahead of Helene’s arrival. At 7:00 a.m., Sarasota County Emergency Management Chief Sandra Tapfumaneyi urged residents, “To evacuate now before Hurricane Helene impacts begin in the next few hours.”
(8:15 a.m. ET) ‘It Kind Of Makes Us Have Just A Pit In Our Stomach’
Grace Daffin and her mother Desiree Baggett who run a salon and boutique in Marianna, Florida, are no strangers to hurricanes. Speaking with Weather.com’s Joy Kigin, they say they vividly remember Hurricane Michael’s devastation in 2018 which severely impacted their business.
“We're all In this mindset of it's going to be another Michael. So it kind of makes us have just a pit in our stomach,” Baggett said. They’ve taken steps to protect their salon and boutique, “Making sure that we had everything kind of secure outside.”
Baggett says she and her husband also run a local farm which was devastated by Michael in 2018. They are only just recouping their losses and now face a rush to harvest over 3 square miles of peanuts. “But there's no way possible, we'll be able to,” Baggett said. “Our guys are working from sunup to sundown…trying to get as much as they can.”
Michael left the town without power for weeks according to Daffin, forcing residents to rely on each other for mutual aid. “Our house was like the hub where everybody came and took showers. We cooked for everybody,” Daffin recalled.
As Helene approaches, they are bracing for a similar situation.
(7: 45 a.m. ET) Hurricane Helene Now A Category 2 Storm
The National Hurricane Center issued a new advisory on Helen indicating that the storm has now strengthened into a Category 2 storm. Further intensification is expected. “Preparations should be rushed to completion,” the center said.
(7:15 a.m. ET) Hurricane Hunter ‘Miss Piggy’ Plane Heads To Helene
Early this morning, Director of NOAA's National Weather Service Ken Graham posted photos to X indicating that NOAA43, a Lockheed WP-3D Orion nicknamed “Miss Piggy,” was taking off and heading into Helene. Data from website FlightAware showed the plane roughly midway through its planned flight at 7:15 a.m. Click here for video of Helene's eye taken by the Hurricane Hunters yesterday.
(6:50 a.m. ET) Flooding May Bring More Alligator, Snake Sightings
The Florida Fish and Wildlife commission warned that, in flooded areas, one may observe alligators or snakes more frequently than normal. “Keep them at a distance & give them space” the agency wrote on X.
(MORE: Resident Finds Gator Lurking In Floodwaters)
(6:45 a.m. ET) 911 May Not Be Available Once Storm Hits
In a strongly worded storm advisory, the National Weather Service in Tallahassee reminded residents that 911 services may not be available right away if conditions are unsafe. “This should be a big factor in your decision making,” on sheltering or evacuating, the agency said. “Failure to adequately shelter may result in serious injury or loss of life.”
(6:30 a.m. ET) Linemen Stationed In Florida
As Helene is expected to cause power outages in multiple states, — extended outages in the hardest-hit areas — groups of linemen have been stationed in various regions to respond after the storm.
(6:15 a.m. ET) Helene Studied By Advanced Technology
A specialized system developed by the University of Florida known as "Sentinel" will gather advanced data as Helene bears down on Florida. "Data and video will be shared with a broad spectrum of research, operational, and commercial partners as well as interests supporting local response and recovery, such as state departments of environmental protection or natural resources," the Florida Climate Institute said.
(6:00 a.m. ET) Alabama DOT Opens Evacuation Routes
The Alabama Department of Transportation announced they’re opening the state’s evacuation routes as neighboring Florida issues evacuation orders in some counties. At least a dozen roadways are designated for evacuation. “In order to accommodate evacuation traffic, ALDOT has ordered a halt to non-emergency lane restrictions or lane closures on all state, U.S. and interstate highways,” the agency said.
(5:30 a.m. ET) What Are Hurricane Categories?
We talk a lot about hurricane categories, but what exactly do they mean? Here’s a breakdown of the Saffir-Simpson Scale, which rates hurricanes based on wind speed:
-Category 1: Very dangerous winds will produce some damage and could cause death and injury.
-Category 2: Extremely dangerous winds will cause extensive damage and substantial risk of injury or death.
-Category 3: Devastating damage will occur, with high risk of injury or death.
-Category 4: Catastrophic damage will occur, including very high risk that people will be killed.
You can read more here about hurricane categories.
(weather.com producer Joy Kigin contributed and information from the Associated Press was used in this report.)
