September 26, 2024 news on Hurricane Helene

More than 1 million customers are without power in Florida after Hurricane Helene made landfall late Thursday night, according to PowerOutage.US.

Here’s their breakdown of customers without power across the southeast as of 11:32 p.m. ET:

Two people have died in Alamo, Georgia after they were caught in a tornado related to the storm system from Hurricane Helene, the city’s mayor told CNN.

Alamo is a little over 75 miles outside Macon, Georgia.

Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey speaks with CNN on September 26, 2024.

As Hurricane Helene makes landfall, Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey tells CNN’s Lauren Coates: “None of us have experienced a Category 4 hurricane this close.”

“We are not a coastal community, we’re about 30 miles in from the coast, so we’re not as concerned with the storm surge for Tallahassee as much as we are known for our trees,” Dailey said.

“Trees and power lines and winds do not mix, so we are reminding the resident and quite frankly … recovery is going to take a while it is not going to be a sprint. It’s going to be a marathon.”

The potential for flash floods is on the rise as heavy rainfall drenches already saturated ground of the city, on top of the mayor’s main concerns of power outages, structural damage and downed trees.

Dailey also reiterated residents to shelter in place and the city is prepared to clean up the damage once the situation is safe after the storm passes.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says hurricane force winds are going to extend across a “couple counties” to the east and west of Taylor County, causing damage and downed trees.

Strong wind gusts are likely to hit Jefferson, Wakulla and Leon counties, Desantis said.

“I would imagine that you’re going to see a lot of wind damage, probably in the northern part of the state,” the governor said in a news conference in Tallahassee Thursday night.

CNN’s Michael Yoshida and team captured flying debris outside of their hotel in Steinhatchee, Florida, moments before Hurricane Helene made its historic landfall.

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CNN Team captures flying debris outside hotel during Hurricane Helene

00:13 - Source: CNN

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says one person died after a sign fell and hit a car driving on Interstate 4 near Ybor City in the Tampa area.

“So that just shows you that it’s very dangerous conditions out there,” the governor said in a news conference Thursday night. “You need to be, right now, just hunkering down. Now is not the time to be going out.”

DeSantis did not provide further details on the incident or the person who died. He said he believes there will likely be more deaths because of the storm’s strength.

Hurricane Helene makes landfall shortly after 11 p.m. ET Thursday.

Hurricane Helene made landfall near Perry, Florida, as a Category 4 with 140 mph sustained winds and higher gusts, according to the National Hurricane Center.

It’s the strongest hurricane on record to slam into Florida’s Big Bend.

The hurricane will continue to unleash life-threatening storm surge, flooding rainfall and destructive winds both near and well-removed from where its center came ashore.

Helene will maintain hurricane strength as it tracks into southern Georgia overnight. It will gradually weaken as it races north through the state, ending up in Tennessee by Friday afternoon, likely as a tropical storm at the time.

Helene’s torrential rain and strong winds could cause widespread power outages and flooding in the Southeast, where the ground is already saturated by the previous day’s storms.

Helene remains a powerful Category 4 hurricane with winds of 140 mph as of 11 p.m. ET, according to the National Hurricane Center. The hurricane’s eye has started to come ashore in Florida’s Big Bend region, meaning the landfall process has begun.

Landfall will not be official until at least half of the eye comes ashore — likely within the next 30 minutes.

Regardless, torrential rain, destructive winds and dangerous storm surge are ongoing.

Alachua County officials have reported downed trees and power lines as Helene — a Category 4 hurricane — inches closer.

Alachua County is in the north central portion of Florida and approximately 65 miles east of the Florida Gulf Coast.

Hurricane Helene has pushed water levels at all five Tampa area tide gauges to levels never before observed, with records going back to at least 1950.

Even though Helene’s eye never got within 100 miles of Tampa Bay, the massive size of the storm and the increasing winds on Thursday built up a powerful surge that is still bringing levels higher late on Thursday night.

Water levels in all locations are still rising as of 10:30 p.m. ET.

More than 800,000 customers are without power in Florida and Georgia as Hurricane Helene prepares to make landfall, according to PowerOutage.US.

As of 10:45 p.m. ET, 788,318 homes and businesses were without power in Florida, and 25,058 customers were experiencing outages in Georgia.

The Category 4 storm is on pace to make landfall in the 11 p.m. ET hour.

Hurricane Helene is unleashing violent winds in every direction, but its strongest winds are on its eastern side, a new graphic from NOAA shows.

White and purple coloring represents the strongest winds. Winds are blowing at more than 111 mph in white areas.

Cedar Key Fire Rescue has suspended services as Hurricane Helene inches closer to Florida’s coast as a Category 4 Hurricane, according to a statement posted Thursday.

“Cedar Key Fire has suspended services until the Hurricane passes. Hurricane Helene is a Cat 4 with 130 mph. The current track shows it coming within 70 miles of Cedar Key.” the statement said.

The storm’s reported wind speed was measured at 140 mph at 9 p.m.

Helene remains a violent Category 4 hurricane with 140 mph winds as of 10 p.m. ET, according to the National Hurricane Center. Its eyewall – where its most ferocious winds are located – has started to push over the coast in Florida’s Big Bend region.

Powerful winds will pound the region for the next few hours and deliver life-threatening, potentially unsurvivable storm surge. A rare extreme wind warning is in effect for parts of the Big Bend.

Helene is still on pace to make landfall – when at least half of its eye moves over land – in the 11 p.m. ET/10 p.m. CT hour.

Images from earlier Thursday show preparations, storm surge and strong winds.

An aerial view shows a house on the shoreline ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Helene in Alligator Point, Florida, on September 26.

A woman fills up a container with gas ahead of Helene's landfall on Wednesday, September 25, in Cross City, Florida.

A capsized boat washes ashore as Hurricane Helene churns offshore in St. Petersburg, Florida, on September 26.

People are splashed by surf from Tampa Bay as Hurricane Helene passes offshore in St. Petersburg, Florida, on September 26.

See more photos here.

Hurricane Helene will likely be a “historic inland flooding event” – and a deadly one, Jamie Rhome, deputy director of the National Hurricane Center, told CNN’s Anderson Cooper Thursday.

Rhome added if “our worst-case scenario materializes,” some areas of Florida’s Big Bend will see a 15-foot storm surge.

As the storm makes its way up to Georgia, residents there should be prepared to go long periods without power, he said. Heavily forested areas will likely see many trees downed and, in turn, widespread power outages.

“People have got to be ready to take care of themselves for several days without power,” Rhome said.

Dangerous Category 4 Hurricane Helene is racing toward the Florida coast and the center of its eye is about 40 to 50 miles from the Big Bend region. Half of the hurricane’s eye must cross over land for landfall to be declared.

Helene will likely make landfall in the 11 p.m. ET/10 p.m. CT hour.

Hurricane Helene's center as seen from the Tallahassee radar around 9:30 p.m. EDT.

In howling winds and rising storm surge, Lee County marine deputies launched their boat for a water rescue along Fort Myers Beach, Sheriff Carmine Marceno said on X.

Hundreds of people in Taylor County, Florida, have told officials they have not evacuated ahead of Hurricane Helene making landfall in the region, Emergency Management Director John Louk told CNN’s Anderson Cooper.

The county has asked residents who have not evacuated to send in an email alerting officials where they are, he said.

Located in Florida’s Big Bend, Taylor County is southeast of Tallahassee.

Carol Poulson uses her phone to document the impacts of Hurricane Helene offshore in St. Petersburg, Florida, on September 26.

Parts of Florida’s Big Bend region are now under an extreme wind warning.

This type of warning is the most severe, most urgent alert for wind.

“This means to expect high winds of 115 mph or greater due to the eyewall of a major hurricane,” the National Weather Service in Tallahassee warned. “Treat this warning like a tornado warning.”

A new tornado watch was issued for more than 8.5 million people in parts of the Carolinas and Georgia until 8 a.m. Friday.

Many tornado warnings have been issued Thursday with multiple confirmed tornadoes in the Southeast.

Jamika Bowens and James Womack watch the waves break in St. Petersburg, Florida, on September 26.

Hurricane Helene now has sustained winds of 140 mph, an increase of 10 mph from just an hour ago, according to the National Hurricane Center. It remains a dangerous Category 4 hurricane.

Helene is just 65 miles west of Cedar Key, Florida, and 90 miles south of Tallahassee.

The Asheville Fire Department is working on the fly to create a database of potholes that have materialized in the heavy rainfall, posing a danger to both evacuees and first responders.

“Roadways are being undermined,” said Fire Chief Mike Cayse. “Especially if they’re underwater when you can’t even see it.”

The department doesn’t have a “good grasp” on the number of potholes in the city, Cayse said, but they are on major roads and commuter roads. There’s also one on Interstate 26 and officials may need to close part of the freeway in order to repair it, he said.

“Our people here are gonna live through some tough times tonight and the next days as we move forward,” Cayse said.

More than half a million customers are without power in Florida as Hurricane Helene inches closer to landfall Thursday evening, according to PowerOutage.US.

There are 527,862 homes and businesses throughout the state experiencing an outage as of 8:33 p.m. ET.

“Extremely dangerous” conditions, a “catastrophic storm surge” and “life-threatening winds” are expected in Florida’s Big Bend area, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Cars drive over the George G. Tapper Bridge ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Helene in Port Saint Joe, Florida, on September 26.

Officials are concerned Helene’s massive storm surge will reach far inland. Storm surge is caused by a hurricane’s strong, onshore winds that push ocean onto land.

“In Wakulla County, the models show us that 20 feet storm surge will push water 20 miles from the coast and possibly into south Leon County and into Tallahassee to the north,” Wakulla County Commissioner Ralph Thomas told CNN’s Anderson Cooper.

Wakulla County is south of Tallahassee.

Currently, the county is seeing water levels rise in the rivers and coastal areas. Some roads are already underwater, Thomas added.

The threat of landslides and buildings collapsing due to compromised foundations is worrying Asheville Fire Chief Mike Cayse the most, as Hurricane Helene lumbers north.

Direct messages have been sent to owners of about 2,400 homes and businesses in the city, warning them they are in imminent danger and should evacuate immediately.

Because more than 10 inches of rain has fallen in Asheville from a previous storm, the soil cannot absorb more water when the outer bands of Helene reach the city, Cayse explained. When the saturated soil shifts, it can take a building’s foundation with it, undermining the structure.

“As a result of their foundations being undermined and the shifting of the ground, we’re absolutely very concerned about building collapses and landslides,” Cayse said.

While he feels confident in his firefighters’ ability to conduct floodwater rescues, federal search and rescue teams have been brought in to help in the event of building collapses or landslides.

It was around this time last year that Jules Carl was pregnant and sticking it out in Steinhatchee as Hurricane Idalia — a weak Category 3 — was lashing the Big Bend of Florida with winds up to 115 mph.

Thirteen months later, she’s riding out another storm with her hurricane baby, Kai.

But this storm is a lot bigger, and a lot stronger.

Hurricane Helene is “unbelievably huge,” Carl told CNN as she noted the winds were picking up around her home.

Carl is hunkering down with her husband, three kids and pets.

“We’re prepared for the worst,” Carl said, adding they have food and water and have prepped their house.

Carl said this is the seventh hurricane she has ridden out since moving to Florida 10 years ago.

She said they decided not to evacuate to be with their belongings, and they feel safe and prepared where they are.

“This little town took on two hurricanes in just the past year,” Carl said. “It’s been really rough, but we’re a tight-knit community.”

The Gulf of Mexico water pushes up against the shore as Hurricane Helene builds offshore at St. Pete Beach, Florida, on September 26.

Helene’s violent winds are driving storm surge along most of Florida’s western coast Thursday evening. The following are the current approximate surge levels for a few locations:

High tide occurs in the next few hours for many of these locations. With Helene expected to make landfall around the same time, some surge values could reach their worst-case scenarios.

Up to 20 feet of surge is possible in Florida’s Big Bend region where Helene will come ashore. Up to 10 feet is possible slightly farther down the coast with up to 8 feet possible in the Tampa Bay area. Some stations could record record-breaking surge.

CNN Meteorologist Chad Myers shared some precautions he’s taking in Georgia ahead of Hurricane Helene, including stocking his freezer with bottles of water in case power goes out.

Residents can also take measures to protect their homes from the dangerous winds unleashed by Helene, Myers added. Closed garage doors should have a barrier pushed up against them from the inside to prevent the door from flying into the garage and potentially bringing the house down, he said.

“Push something up there… That whole thing pushes, and then you lose your house because you lost your garage door,” Myers said.

Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey tells CNN’s Erin Burnett his city is taking Hurricane Helene very seriously, as it could be “the most powerful storm ever to hit the city of Tallahassee in written history.”

He said the college town, which is home to Florida State University, Florida A&M University and others, has been preparing for the last week, tripling its workforce. He praised the universities for swiftly evacuating students.

The mayor’s main concerns are power outages, structural damage and downed trees.

Tampa officials once again emphasized the importance of heeding warnings ahead of Hurricane Helene’s landfall in Florida.

She warned that Tampa is already “in the throes of Hurricane Helene,” adding that storm surge and wind gusts in the city are “going to get worse.”

Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said “now is the time to stay home,” as officials tell those within the storm’s path to shelter in place.

“Do not go outside,” Bercaw said. “Our first responders are out there. If you go outside, if you travel or if you go near water, you’re putting our first responders at risk.”

Meanwhile, officials in the nearby city of St. Petersburg are telling residents to expect the worst winds from 6 to 8 p.m. ET tonight, and that storm surge will peak around midnight. Flood rescue teams are positioned throughout the city in case they are needed.

St. Petersburg’s Northeast Water Reclamation Facility might have to shut down if storm surge reaches 7 feet at the site, Mayor Ken Welch warned. If the plant must be turned off, it will take at least 48 hours to get it back up and running, he said.

Hurricane Helene is quickly approaching the Florida coast. In fact, it’s gotten so close that the weather radar in Tallahassee can clearly capture the hurricane’s entire eye.

The eye is the hurricane’s center and it’s an area of relatively calm weather surrounded by the storm’s fiercest winds in the eyewall. In this radar loop, Helene’s eye is a blank circle surrounded by heavy rain – denoted by greens, yellows and oranges.

Hurricane Helene's eye appears on Tallahassee's radar scans Thursday evening.

Power outages are affecting more than 320,000 customers in Florida as Hurricane Helene strengthened to a Category 4 storm hours ahead of its expected landfall in the Sunshine State.

As of Thursday evening, nearly 12,500 customers are without power in Georgia, while more than 15,500 residents are experiencing outages in North Carolina, according to PowerOutage.us. The outages there include those from storms late Wednesday and through Thursday, before Helene’s impact.

South Carolina is also experiencing power outages, but at a much lower scale, with more than 2,200 customers affected.

Hurricane Helene has now rapidly intensified for the second time, with its top-end winds increasing by 45 mph in the past 24 hours. Rapid intensification occurs when a system’s maximum winds increase 35 mph or more in 24 hours or less.

Its first official bout of rapid intensification unfolded from Tuesday morning to Wednesday morning as Helene went from a low-end tropical storm to a Category 1 hurricane.

From there it took Helene less than 36 hours to strengthen from a Category 1 hurricane Wednesday morning to a violent Category 4 hurricane Thursday evening.

Helene’s rapid intensifications were fueled by the extremely warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Hurricanes are more likely to get supercharged by abnormally warm waters as the world warms due to fossil fuel pollution.

Hurricane Helene is seen in a satellite photo Thursday afternoon, September 26, 2024.

If Hurricane Helene maintains its Category 4 strength, at least 130 mph, it will be the strongest storm make landfall in Florida’s Big Bend – the marshy crook of coastline that connects the panhandle and the peninsula.

A slightly weaker storm dubbed the “Cedar Key Hurricane” made landfall there in 1896 while packing 125 mph sustained winds.

Idalia thrashed the Big Bend last year as a Category 3 hurricane with 115 mph winds.

The last Category 4 hurricane to make landfall in the US was 2022’s Ian, which came ashore in South Florida and unleashed immense destruction.

High-resolution satellites are capturing the incredible evolution of Hurricane Helene’s eyewall. Intense lightning is seen as the storm gains even more energy and strength from the warm water of the Gulf of Mexico.

Helene’s winds have increased to 130 mph, making the storm a Category 4.

National Guardsman prepares a truck for storm response on Thursday in Crawfordville, Florida.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says the state has people and resources in place to immediately respond to the aftermath of Hurricane Helene as it approaches making landfall tonight.

The governor encouraged people in evacuation zones to get out while there is still time, warning specifically of life-threatening storm surge in parts of the Big Bend areas of Florida.

Helene has rapidly intensified today while nearing the Florida Big Bend. It is currently a Category 3 storm, but could be a Category 4 at landfall, according to the National Hurricane Center.

DeSantis said electrical lineworkers from various companies are staged throughout the state. He said residents should expect to lose power in the storm. There are also more than 100 generators at gas stations, which the governor said will minimize disruption to fuel.

National Guard soldiers, Florida State Highway Patrol troopers and personnel from the Department of Transportation are also ready to respond, DeSantis said.

President Joe Biden issued an urgent warning to residents affected by Hurricane Helene Thursday, highlighting steps his administration has already taken to prepare, while urging people in the storm’s path to heed guidance from local and federal officials.

The president pointed to pre-landfall emergency declaration requests already approved for Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Alabama, while touting a wide array of federal resources being deployed. More than 1,000 personnel, search and rescue teams, medical teams, power restoration teams, generators, water, food are already on the ground across the region.

“But let me say this: Everyone needs to take it seriously, extremely seriously. The potential storm surge is well beyond the immediate path of the hurricane, it could be significant and deadly,” he warned. “For you and your family’s sake, I encourage everyone in and near the path of the hurricane to listen to local officials and follow evacuation orders if being told to do so.”

More than 200,000 customers are without power in Florida as Hurricane Helene barrels through the Gulf of Mexico Thursday, according to PowerOutage.US.

There are more than 225,000 homes and businesses that are without power in the state as of 5:30 p.m. ET.

Most of the outages are in southwest Florida, where tropical storm-force wind gusts have been reported. Power outages will continue to climb as the storm’s massive wind field spreads across the Southeast on Thursday and into Friday.

Vice President Kamala Harris urged people in the path of Hurricane Helene to heed guidance from local officials as the storm, which forecasters have warned could reach Category 4 strength before landfall, barrels towards Florida.

Emergency managers in Taylor County, Florida, are not messing around.

The officials, who oversee low-lying towns including Steinhatchee and Perry, posted on Facebook Thursday afternoon to ask all residents who chose not to evacuate to grab a permanent marker and write their name and date of birth on their leg.

The unspoken message: You will not survive this. Help us identify you.

Officials also asked friends and relatives of people who did not evacuate to reach out and share the information, so search and rescue teams know where to focus their efforts when the storm passes.

Waves impact a house seawall in Eastpoint, Florida, on Thursday.

In its 5 p.m. ET update, the National Hurricane Center noted that Hurricane Helene will continue to strengthen as it tracks north over the uber-warm water of the Gulf of Mexico, and will likely be at or near Category 4-strength when it makes landfall later tonight.

But no matter what, this storm is already a monster. Its wind field spans hundreds of miles. Storm surge is already pushing onto Florida’s Gulf Coast from the Tampa area northward. Flooding is going to be catastrophic in some parts of the Southeast. Officials have pleaded with coastal residents to evacuate.

Even if Helene doesn’t top another category, it will still be one of the most devastating storms we’ve seen thrash the Gulf Coast in recent years.

Tampa’s Skyway Bridge and Howard Frankland Bridge are both closed due to Hurricane Helene’s high winds and powerful storm surge, according to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP).

In a shaky video shared by the FHP’s Tampa office Thursday on X, strong waves can be seen crashing on the Howard Frankland Bridge, even as drivers continued to make their way across. It was not immediately clear what time the video, which appeared to be from a fixed traffic camera, was taken.

The law enforcement agency warned drivers to “stay off the highways.”

The Sunshine Skyway Bridge connects Pinellas and Manatee counties over Tampa Bay via I-275. The Howard Frankland Bridge connects St. Petersburg and Tampa

CNN’s Carlos Suarez contributed reporting.

An aerial view shows a house on the shoreline ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Helene in Alligator Point, Florida, on September 26.

With Hurricane Helene barreling toward Florida, one public adjuster said homeowners in the state will be faced with new challenges in the aftermath of the storm.

Itay Levy, who is based in South Florida and has more than 25 years of experience, said he has noticed a big change in the Sunshine State in the past year. Last year specifically, the new way lawyers can sue insurance companies is creating consequences for homeowners.

Levy explains this legal change prompts insurance companies to deny almost all claims. He said he thinks this is an over-correction to the industry, which will end up costing homeowners out of pocket.

“The attorneys were charging way too high of statutory fees and making a killing. This was draining the insurance companies and costing us higher rates,” Levy said.

But, it doesn’t work the other way around either. Without statutory fees, insurance companies don’t have an urgency to settle claims on losses. Levy said there needs to be a “happy medium.”

Insurance companies have struggled to stay afloat, battered by elevated inflation and the growing frequency of catastrophic storms made worse by climate change. It’s made it tougher for homeowners to find affordable insurance options.

Levy said in the case of Hurricane Helene, homeowners should expect “underpayment and a battle to get more money.”

Waffle House confirmed it has preemptively closed locations in Florida, but did not provide specific numbers or locations.

Anyone in the South knows – if the Waffle House closes, it means the storm is getting serious. The Waffle House Index is an unofficial measure by a former FEMA official to evaluate how severely a storm hit an area.

“In areas predicted to be hardest hit, we will preemptively close restaurants with a goal of reopening them as soon as it is safe to do so,” Njeri Boss, Waffle House’s vice president of food safety and public relations, said in an email.

Local media reports at least one Waffle House location in Tallahassee has closed, and locations in the area are currently not accepting online orders. Locations around Panama City Beach and some locations in the Tampa Bay area, as well as a few locations in southern Georgia, have also shut down online ordering.

“If mandatory evacuations have been called for, we follow them. So, at this time we continue to monitor the situation and will act accordingly,” Boss said.

Waffle House has a reputation of staying open during natural disasters, even when other restaurants are closed. The index uses a color-coded key to evaluate the degree of damage done to an area and what resources the area will need, based on the Waffle House schedule.

Red: Waffle House is closed completely. If Waffle House is closed, that area was probably hardest hit.

Yellow: Waffle House is open, but they’re serving a limited menu. This could mean the area is experiencing power outages or water isn’t safe to drink, but people can get around.

Green: Waffle House is up and running at peak condition. This doesn’t mean everything’s perfect in the area, but it’s a sign that basic services are intact.

CNN’s Scottie Andrew contributed to this report.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Hurricane Hunters soared into Hurricane Helene as it strengthened Thursday morning, giving people a bird’s-eye view into the massive storm hurtling through the Gulf of Mexico.

The Swannanoa River in Asheville, North Carolina, is already raging beyond its banks after torrential rain fell Wednesday night.

Officials are urging people to evacuate before Hurricane Helene’s rain starts this evening.

“This next wave is just going to be even worse because there’s nowhere for the water to be soaked up or go,” Asheville Fire Chief Michael Cayse told CNN Thursday afternoon.

Flooding in East Tennessee on Wednesday from slow moving, heavy rainfall will intensify this evening and throughout the weekend as Hurricane Helene travels toward the state, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said.

Rainfall Wednesday prompted several flood watches and warnings in East Tennessee by the National Weather Service, as well as evacuation and sheltering of several households in Mountain City last night, but it is not associated with Helene, the agency said.

A specialized Swiftwater Rescue Team was deployed from Tennessee to Florida to assist with hurricane response, which includes 17 personnel from various fire and emergency agencies to help with water rescues and emergency services in the Pensacola area, the agency said.

Georgia Insurance Commissioner John King warned people in the incoming storm’s path to stay vigilant when it comes to potential bad actors following Helene’s landfall.

He advised people to only do necessary repairs on their properties immediately following the storm “to make sure there’s no further damage to your property.”

“Take your time,” he told Valdes. “If there’s any doubt, reach out to our agency, to the local authorities.”

King said officials will be out in hard-hit areas distributing information, and insurance companies will also be on the ground following the storm to help affected people start claims.

Anastasia Russel, 18, is one of the students riding out Hurricane Helene at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida.

Students remaining on campus are sheltering-in-place inside the university’s Augustus B. Turnbull Conference Center, which was newly “upgraded to withstand extreme conditions,” according to FSU Alert.

“The conference center facility includes hurricane shutters and debris curtains on windows and well as emergency generators large enough to power air handler units in the facility,” according to the alert website.

Russel told CNN she’s a little worried her dorm might get destroyed. She’s also not looking forward to sleeping in the conference center tonight.

“Yeah, it’s rough,” she said. “I just miss my bed.”

Russel arrived at the conference center around 10:15 a.m. Thursday with her suitcase. She said students were told to bring one bag each.

Since then, she’s been playing chess, cards and watching movies like Sharknado to pass the time with the other students there. FSU has given them sandwiches and juice so far, according to Russel.

“I brought plenty of snacks so hopefully it’ll hold me over and we can leave tomorrow morning,” she said. “We have to stay here until FSU gets the all clear.”

More than 2 million people in Georgia – including the Atlanta metro – are under a flash flood warning as heavy rainfall drenches the area.

After facing torrential downpours even before Hurricane Helene makes landfall, the mountain town of Asheville, North Carolina, is preparing for what could be record-breaking flooding, the weather services says.

“This next wave is just going to be even worse because there’s nowhere for the water to be soaked up or go,” Asheville Fire Chief Michael Cayse told CNN Thursday afternoon.

The fire department made several water rescues overnight. Some drivers got trapped after they drove into standing water, Cayse said. Crews also rescued a kayaker who was suddenly overpowered by fast-moving water.

At Biltmore Village, one of the most famous tourist areas in the region, the Swannanoa River is expected to reach a record depth of 21 feet Friday – breaking a century-old record of 20.7 feet. That’s more than double the river’s flood stage of 10 feet.

Thunderstorms rumbling near the center of Helene put on a show this afternoon as the hurricane continued to strengthen.

Asheville, North Carolina residents are being urged to evacuate ahead of what is expected to be historic flooding in the area. Buncombe County officials want everyone in affected areas to get out before the rivers crest Friday night into Saturday.

“If you are in an impacted area, you should leave now,” said Emergency Services Director Taylor Jones. “It’s possible we may get to a point where our crews will not physically be able to perform rescues. We cannot emphasize how much you should take this seriously.”

Record-breaking flooding is expected in what meteorologists at the National Weather Service are calling “one of the most significant weather events to happen in the … modern era” in this region.

The ground around Asheville is already soaked with more than 8 inches of rain since Wednesday evening. What Helene is about to bring will tip this area way over the edge; as much as 20 inches of rain is possible between what fell yesterday and the hurricane. Meteorologists are comparing the forecast to the 1916 floods in Asheville.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp speaks during a news conference on September 26.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp urged all citizens to stay off the roads and prepare emergency supplies — including food and water — as Hurricane Helene approaches.

Extreme weather conditions are expected in Georgia, including heavy rain and life-threatening flash flooding, and wind gusts up to 80-100 mph, Kemp said during a Thursday news conference. There will also be a very strong possibility of spinoff tornadoes and even landslides due to the amount of rain expected, especially in the more mountainous and hilly parts of the state, he said.

“Certainly, this storm hitting in the middle of the night with the potential for tornadoes and other things, people just need to be very, very, very weather-aware all this evening and be prepared at home,” Kemp said.

Two FEMA Urban Search and Rescue teams have been stationed in Gainesville and Macon, and the state has deployed several teams prepared to remove downed trees and power lines, clear out roads and assist with water rescues, the governor said.

Utility crews repair a line damaged by an outer band of Hurricane Helene on Thursday near Crawfordville, Florida.

More than 100,000 customers are already without power in Florida as Hurricane Helene continues to intensify and lash the state Thursday afternoon, according to PowerOutage.us.

There are 109,000 homes and businesses without power as of 3:00 p.m. Most of the outages are in Southwest Florida, where tropical storm-force wind gusts have been reported, but the storm’s massive wind field is starting to spread across much of the Florida Peninsula.

Here are some of the highest wind gusts in the state so far:
• Punta Gorda: 61 mph
• Fort Myers: 60 mph
• Naples: 53 mph
• St. Petersburg/Clearwater: 52 mph

Power outages will continue to climb as the wind field spreads across the Southeast Thursday and into Friday.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has authorized up to 500 Georgia National Guardsmen, including 250 currently on duty, to prepare for Hurricane Helene, he said during a Thurday news conference.

The storm is expected to reach South Georgia by sunset on Thursday through sunrise, middle Georgia from 10 p.m. to 11 a.m., and north Georgia midnight to noon on Friday, Kemp said.

A state of emergency was declared for all 159 counties in Georgia on Tuesday to give emergency management teams time to prepare and reply resources where needed. The storm is expected to remain at hurricane strength as it moves up through Macon and possibly into metro Atlanta Thursday evening before traveling north and exiting the state midday Friday.

“This is a big storm, it’s going to affect our entire state, we feel certain we’re going to be having to remove debris and clear roads statewide,” Kemp said, adding the storm’s impact is likely going to be worse than Tropical Storm Debby.

All Georgia Department of Public Safety troopers and officers are available and on duty as well as more than 150 teams with the state’s Department of Natural Resources, who are prepared to respond to clear roads, conduct water rescues, provide security, and deliver critical supplies, Kemp said. The Georgia Department of Transportation also has crews embedded across Georgia ready to remove debris from the streets once it’s safe to do so.

More than 10,000 linemen with utility providers in the state are deployed and prepared to respond to power outages as soon as the storm passes and winds die down enough and it’s safe for them to work.

“I can promise you we will respond with full force as soon as it’s safe to do so,” Kemp said.

Helene’s storm surge could be “unsurvivable” in some parts of Florida, the National Weather Service warned Thursday.

Up to 20 feet of dangerous surge is possible for the state’s Big Bend region as Helene’s powerful winds force water out of the Gulf and onto normally dry ground.

But surge levels could smash records even in places where 20 feet is out of the question. Cedar Key – which was hit hard by Hurricane Idalia last year – could record more than 10 feet of surge, which would eclipse the record Idalia set.

The table below lists other locations where records could be broken.

If you haven’t prepared already, the time is here. Hurricane Helene is expected to make landfall Thursday night along Florida’s Gulf Coast south of Tallahassee and then veer north, maintaining dangerous winds and torrential rainfall well inland into the Southeast.

In most areas, the brunt of the storm will hit overnight. This requires special preparations.

Miller advises turning up the volume on your phone or watch so you can hear any emergency alerts. It’s also a good idea to ensure those devices are close to you and fully charged. Many areas are expected to lose power overnight, and high winds may delay crews from beginning restoration work.

Here are some other things you can do now to get ready:

Find the full list of preparedness tips here.

The Sunshine Skyway Bridge is closed ahead of Hurricane Helene's landfall on Thursday.

The huge Sunshine Skyway Bridge, which connects Pinellas and Manatee counties over Tampa Bay via I-275, is closed, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

In a post on X, the highway patrol said it was closing the bridge after winds reached 60 mph.

“Motorists are requested to seek alternate routes, do not drive through flooded roads & unless absolutely necessary stay off area roadways,” the agency said.

The Howard Frankland Bridge, which connects St. Petersburg and Tampa, is also closed due to “high winds and storm surge,” the Florida Highway Patrol said on X.

Helene strengthened into a Category 3 major hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The hurricane has sustained winds of 120 mph and stronger gusts.

Helene is a massive hurricane. Its strong winds span hundreds of miles while clouds and storms fed by its moisture stretch even farther.

Satellite imagery shows how the bulk of Helene is taking up the entire eastern half of the Gulf of Mexico. Its rain bands are bringing heavy rain and strong winds to the Florida Peninsula.

Farther north, the hurricane’s moisture is fueling storms across the Southeast and into the mid-Atlantic. It’s also influencing storminess in the western Caribbean.

We are on the coast in Apalachicola, Florida, awaiting Helene’s arrival, and we’re also keeping an eye on the sky: There’s a risk of waterspouts as this storm approaches, which could be locally devastating to some parts of the coast if they come ashore.

Dark, ominous clouds hang low on the horizon Tuesday afternoon, overlooking the Apalachicola River with the Gulf of Mexico in the distance.

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Water is rising in Apalachicola, Florida

00:29 - Source: CNN

Helene’s winds have increased to 110 mph – a strong Category 2 hurricane, according to the 2 p.m. update from the National Hurricane Center. Helene is now just 1 mph away from becoming a Category 3 major hurricane.

“Preparations should be rushed to completion,” the NHC warned in the update.

The hurricane will strengthen further as it continues to track over extremely warm water in the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to be a major hurricane – Category 3 or stronger – at landfall Thursday evening.

Helene is just under 200 miles southwest of Tampa, Florida, moving north-northeast at 16 mph – slightly faster than it was a few hours ago.

Hurricane Helene is forecasted to directly hit Tallahassee, Florida — bringing the force of what is expected to be one of the largest storms in the Gulf of Mexico in the last century down on the city.

Local officials are trying to prepare for the damage they know is coming, Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey said on X. The city has “tripled the workforce for electric utility” ahead of the storm. Crews will respond to power outages and downed trees until it is no longer safe, the City of Tallahassee said on X.

“Folks, it’s going to be a marathon, not a sprint. We’re expecting significant damage,” Dailey said in a video on social media.

Florida State Univeristy, which is located in Tallahassee, said students who live on campus will shelter in place in a university conference center, which was “upgraded to withstand extreme conditions.” Some of those upgrades include hurricane shutters and emergency generators, the university said in a statement.

The storm has been strengthening and will make landfall along the Big Bend of Florida tonight as a major hurricane, Category 3 or higher. If that happens, that will be the strongest storm in Tallahassee’s history, Dailey said.

Helene is expected to create wind speeds that could reach 110 mph and 6 to 9 inches of rain in the city.

Record-breaking flooding is in the forecast for the Asheville, North Carolina, area in what meteorologists at the National Weather Service are calling “one of the most significant weather events to happen in the … modern era” in this region.

The ground around Asheville is already soaked with more than 7.5 inches of rain since Wednesday evening. What Helene is about to bring will tip this area way over the edge; as much as 20 inches of rain is possible between what fell yesterday and the hurricane. Meteorologists are comparing the forecast to the 1916 floods in Asheville.

We’re seeing it again and again today: Forecasters and officials are using the strongest language possible to convey how dangerous Hurricane Helene will be.

Communities in the Big Bend region of northwestern Florida are preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Helene Thursday evening, as it continues to pick up strength, and a leading rain system is already filling roadways with water.

“A lot of our streets in Apalachicola and on the island are underwater,” Franklin County Sheriff A.J. “Tony” Smith told CNN Thursday afternoon. The community is under an evacuation order, and Smith said there’s nothing to be gained by staying behind.

Further inland, the state capital is under threat. “We’re expecting a direct hit,” Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey said in a Facebook message to residents.

Weather radar spots Hurricane Helene early Thursday afternoon.

United States weather radars can now see Helene’s eye – its rain-free center – as the hurricane tracks closer to the Florida coast.

A Tampa area weather radar first picked up Helene’s eye in the early afternoon. The center of the hurricane is located just under 200 miles away from the radar, so – because of the curvature of Earth – it’s only able to capture high levels of the system. The radar beam here is looking at the center more than 20,000 feet above ground level.

But hurricanes are massive: Their clouds and storms can reach tens of thousands of feet in the air.

Hurricane Helene is already lashing Florida as it continues to intensify and track north toward Florida’s Big Bend. Thousands of Florida residents have already been forced to evacuate and nearly the entire state is under alerts.

Here are some images from today as the storm continues its approach.

A man walks through a flooded Times Square area of Fort Myers Beach, Florida, on Thursday, September 26.

Cynthia Centeno, a Tallahassee resident, sits with her family inside a hurricane evacuation shelter at Fairview Middle School in Leon County, Florida, on Thursday.

Waves from the Gulf of Mexico crash on the shore in St. Pete Beach, Florida.

People work at the State Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee, Florida, on Thursday.

See more photos here.

President Joe Biden was briefed by Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Deanne Criswell on Thursday as Hurricane Helene is intensifying and expected to make landfall this evening.

“This is going to be a multi-state event with potential for significant impacts from Florida all the way to Tennessee,” Criswell warned during an appearance at the White House press briefing.

Biden has approved disaster declarations for Florida, Georgia and North Carolina.

“Please take this threat from storm surge seriously,” Criswell said, encouraging those in the affected area to “move out of harm’s way” and not to “underestimate what the impacts could possibly be.”

NASA gave people on Earth a bird’s-eye view of Hurricane Helene as it tracks toward the Florida Panhandle on Thursday.

Cameras on the International Space Station captured a view of the storm from 260 miles above.

NASA hosted a livestream as the station orbited above the hurricane.

The cameras showed the eye of the storm against the limb of Earth, or where the edge of the atmosphere is visible. The space station could be seen in the foreground of the camera. On the livestream, NASA said the station was moving at about 5 miles per second and only stayed over the storm for a few minutes.

Helene is expected to make landfall in Florida Thursday night.

The entirety of the Blue Ridge Parkway is closed in North Carolina, the National Park Service said Thursday, in anticipation of severe weather from Hurricane Helene.

It will remain closed “until the storm passes, and staff can safely assess the park and clear any storm damage,” the park service said.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a popular scenic route spanning more than 400 miles along the Appalachian Mountains. It passes through several states in addition to North Carolina, including Virginia and Tennessee.

Helene is forecast to grow into one of the largest storms in the Gulf of Mexico in the last century. The storm is forecast to make landfall in the Florida Panhandle before moving through Georgia and into East Tennessee and parts of North Carolina over the weekend.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper warned residents earlier today that the storm would be “unusually dangerous” for western and central parts of the state.

A number of other national parks in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina have also announced closures due to Helene.

You can find all of the latest alerts, restrictions and closures from the National Park Service here.

The risk of life-threatening flooding is expanding over the Southeast as Helene nears. Atlanta is now firmly in the center of the rarest risk levels issued: a level 4 of 4 high risk of flooding rainfall.

Earlier this morning, two separate rare level 4 of 4 risks of flooding rainfall were outlooked by the Weather Prediction Center. That extremely hazardous risk area expanded to connect the two in an afternoon forecast update.

Now, the rare high risk area extends from the Florida Panhandle, through many major population centers in Georgia and into the mountains of western North Carolina.

The combination of Wednesday’s soaking rainfall, Helene’s impending deluge and its powerful winds could bring down trees in soaked soils, down power lines and overwhelm drainage systems, the WPC warned.

A woman fills up a container with gas as Hurricane Helene intensifies before its expected landfall in Cross City, Florida, on September 25.

Federal officials are warning that Hurricane Helene could mess with energy facilities as it barrels into the Southeast.

The storm has the “potential for significant disruptions to energy infrastructure,” the US Energy Information Administration said in a post on Thursday.

Already, more than a quarter (29%) of US oil production in the Gulf of Mexico has been paused due to Hurricane Helene, according to the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. An additional 17% of natural gas production has been sidelined.

The EIA noted that high wind, flooding and storm surge could affect power plants and power transmission and distribution lines in the region.

However, Hurricane Helene appears poised to spare Gulf Coast refineries. These facilities — which churn out gasoline, diesel and jet fuel for much of the country — lie mostly to the west of the storm’s track.

That’s why Andy Lipow, president of consulting firm Lipow Oil Associates, said in an email he does not expect gasoline or diesel prices to be impacted in a significant way.

However, Lipow did caution that that power outages and flooding could potentially shut down pipeline pumping stations and terminal operations in the region.

That, in turn, could reduce supplies of gasoline, diesel and juet fuel to the mid-Atlantic region through Washington, DC, and Baltimore.

St. Petersburg Emergency Manager Amber Boulding told residents that “it’s time to start talking about sheltering in place” as Hurricane Helene tracks closer to Tampa Bay, with storm surge already beginning to impact the city.

“Winds are starting to pick up, and we have started to see some flooding in low lying areas around the city,” St. Petersburg Mayor Kenneth Welch said at a briefing Thursday.

Storm surge will continue to rise throughout the day and stay high throughout the night and into Friday, Boulding said. Flooding has already prompted the closure of Shore Acres and Snell Isle, according to the mayor.

He warned of an “unprecedented” storm surge and overall impact to the city, saying there could be up to 5 to 8 feet of surge.

“This is going to be different than any storm we’ve seen here before,” the mayor said.

In this screengrab from video, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor speaks with CNN about Hurricane Helene on September 25.

The City of Tampa is doing their best to keep the community safe ahead of Hurricane Helene but its mayor is urging people to understand their level of responsibility, too, she said in a Thursday news conference.

Flooding has already begun Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said. “Do not be fooled” by the sunshine.

Streets in Fort Myers Beach are flooded as Hurricane Helene passes on September 26.

Hurricane Helene’s sprawling strong winds sent water levels up about 2 feet above normal along Florida’s west coast this morning. The increase coincided with the morning’s high tide for many areas.

This combination sent water into parts of Fort Myers Beach that should normally be dry.

Flooding in the area could get more severe later today as Helene closes in on Florida. Up to 5 feet of storm surge is possible, especially if Helene’s strongest winds align with the next high tide this evening.

Torrential rainfall being enhanced by tropical moisture from Helene has deluged the Asheville, North Carolina area since Wednesday night. More than 7.5 inches of rain has fallen since last evening.

If another 2 inches or so falls by Thursday evening, it’ll be a 1-in-1000-year rain event for the area, according to the Southeast Regional Climate Center. Helene is expected to dump more than a foot of rain in the western North Carolina mountains through this weekend, with much of that coming through Friday afternoon.

The overwhelming amount of rain has sent water levels on area waterways skyrocketing. The Swannanoa River near Asheville’s Biltmore Village is expected to reach major flood stage Thursday night and crest at a record level sometime Friday morning.

Multiple other rivers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee are forecast to hit major flood stage in the coming days.

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Parts of Florida already underwater as Helene approaches

00:39 - Source: CNN

The impacts of Hurricane Helene are already evident along parts of the Florida coast, where some streets have flooded in beachfront communities.

Hurricane Helene is already disrupting flight operations at some major airports in the southeast, most notably Tampa International Airport.

There were roughly 1,020 cancellations across the United States as of 11 a.m. ET on Thursday — more than triple the daily average for the 2023 calendar year, and well above the 30-day high, according to FlightAware.

Sarasota-Bradenton International and Southwest Florida International are among the other airports seeing significant cancellations.

Typically, airlines hope that by canceling flights ahead of the storm, they won’t leave passengers stranded at airports and can recover their schedules more quickly. Southwest Airlines appears to be taking the biggest blow of any major airline so far.

CNN’s Ross Levitt contributed to this report.

In this screengrab from video, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper speaks to the press about Hurricane Helene on September 26.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper warned that Hurricane Helene could have a dangerous and deadly impact in parts of the state.

Cooper noted that when tropical weather crosses into the state’s mountainous areas, it can be deadly. He recalled the deadly and devastating impact of Tropical Storm Fred in 2021, and said Helene could have a similar impact.

He added that the storm is expected to bring more than a foot of rain to parts of western North Carolina, which will “likely cause significant flash flooding, landslides, damaging debris flows, slope failures across steep terrain and river flooding. Even areas that typically don’t experience it, may see flooding.”

He said that cities like Charlotte and Asheville could see flash flooding despite not being directly in the storm’s path. The governor said that as of this morning there were about 14,000 power outages reported statewide.

Cooper said that he has activated 175 members of North Carolina’s National Guard in preparation for the storm.

Hillsborough County, which includes Tampa, will keep its offices and facilities closed on Friday, which will allow county employees to focus on the Hurricane Helene response.

Three fire stations have evacuated, and a Hillsborough County Fire Rescue fire boat has been taken out of service temporarily, Fire Chief Jason Dougherty said.

“Our fire department is not immune to the impacts of this storm … this will not affect our response times, but it serves as a reminder – if we are leaving the evacuation zone, so should you,” Dougherty said.

Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister assured residents rescue crews will be ready to help.

“There won’t be a scenario where we can’t come get you,” Chronister said, adding that the department has two amphibious vehicles and a marine unit.

“But please, what I’m asking is, don’t put these first responders at risk because you make an improper and poor decision,” Chronister added.

In this satellite image, Hurricane Helene is seen approaching the coast of Florida on September 26.

Hurricane Helene continues to intensify Thursday morning and now has maximum sustained winds of 105 mph with higher gusts, according to the National Hurricane Center. Its winds are now just 6 mph away from Category 3 major hurricane status.

Helene is centered 255 miles southwest of Tampa and is moving to the north-northeast at 14 mph — slightly faster than earlier this morning. Helene is expected to pick up more forward speed and strengthen further today while on a collision course with the Florida coastline.

Helene will likely be the strongest storm to slam the US in more than a year.

A new tornado watch due to Hurricane Helene has been issued by the Storm Prediction Center for nearly 3.8 million people in Florida and Georgia until 10 p.m. Thursday.

The watch spans parts of northern Florida, including Jacksonville and Tallahassee, and southern Georgia including Valdosta and Albany.

Conditions will become “increasingly favorable for tornadoes” as Helene’s rain bands track north through the area throughout the day, the SPC said. “These conditions will result in a long-duration risk for tornadoes across northern Florida and southern Georgia.”

More than 24 million people across South Carolina, Georgia and Florida are now under tornado watches due to the hurricane.

Southwest Airlines is taking the biggest blow from Hurricane Helene of any major airline, according to tracking information from FlightAware.

The flight tracking site says the airline — which operates the most Florida flights of any carrier — has canceled at least 200 flights on Thursday, making up roughly one in five of all cancellations in the United States as of 10:30 a.m. ET.

Southwest told CNN that its service at Tampa International Airport and Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport could resume as early as Friday morning.

The airline has waived change fees for flights to, from or through airports as far south as Miami, and as far north as Charlotte and Nashville.

Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission posted a warning to residents on X ahead of Helene, urging them to be cautious of “alligators and snakes.”

Florida is facing a serious flood threat from Helene both from the sea and from the sky that could inundate vast areas of the state, especially at the coast.

Wildlife officials made sure to note that residents should “Keep them at a distance & give them space!”

Helene will push the Gulf of Mexico onshore, drowning the coast with up to 20 feet of storm surge. And several inches of rain will also fall, increasing the risk for freshwater flooding.

United Airlines says it is stopping flights to four Florida airports Thursday due to Hurricane Helene.

The airline says in a statement it is halting operations at Tampa International Airport, Fort Myers’ Southwest Florida International Airport, Key West International Airport and Sarasota Bradenton International Airport.

The airline is also waiving change fees for passengers flying to, from or through 25 airports in the US, Mexico and Cuba through at least Friday. The full list of airports is here.

The latest change to United’s operation: “using larger aircraft the next several days to fly more customers out of Havana, Cuba.”