Though no longer the powerful category 4 storm that slammed into northwestern Florida, Helene continues to hang around as a post-tropical cyclone, bringing heavy rains, winds, and other turbulent weather to the south and midwest.

In one Florida county, several fatalities occurred in neighborhoods where evacuation orders had been issued, according to Bob Gualtieri, the sheriff of Pinellas County near St. Petersburg. He noted that some residents, who disregarded the warnings, ended up seeking refuge in their attics to escape the rising floodwaters.

As 12 a.m. EDT Saturday, Sept. 28, here are some numbers associated with the historic storm Helene:

Nearly 30 inches

Nearly 30 inches of rain fell over a 48-hour period in Busick, North Carolina.

Atlanta recorded 11.2 inches in 48 hours, beating out its 9.59-inch record that had stood since 1886.

More than 3.5 million

10 states are still dealing with major power outages in the wake of Helene. The five most affected states are South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina, Florida and Ohio, combining for more than 3.5 million customers without power.

More than 4 million customers were without power earlier in the day. For hurricanes, this is the largest number since Hurricane Irma knocked out power to 7.6 million customers in 2017.

At least 44

Helene has claimed at least 44 lives according to ABC News. In Georgia, at least 15 people have died according to according to Garrison Douglas, a spokesperson for Gov. Brian Kemp.

Falling trees killed two people in Anderson County in the northwest part of South Carolina, according to Fox Carolina. Two more people died — and four more were injured — in Newberry County as a result of Hurricane Helene, Newberry County Sheriff Lee Foster told CNN.

1,500 workers

1,500 emergency workers are focusing on search and rescue efforts in Florida after Helene, the state's top emergency management official said Friday. “As those sorts of rescue missions happen today, and continue, please do not go out and visit the impacted areas,” said Kevin Guthrie, executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management. “I beg of you, do not get in their way.”

54 people

When turbulent floodwaters from Helene surged around Unicoi County Hospital in Eastern Tennessee Friday morning, 54 patients and staff were forced to wait for rescue on a roof. Luckily, helicopters arrived to bring everyone to safety. The culprit: the overflowing waters of the Nolichucky River, which local alderman Michael Baker estimated were rushing at nearly 100,000 cubic feet per second.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime storm for sure," Baker said. "This is unprecedented."

While most in the southeast and beyond are still thinking about Helene, there may be more tropical activity in the first days of October, AccuWeather hurricane experts warn.

"The Central American gyre is very active at the moment, said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Bob Smerbeck.

But what exactly is a gyre?

The Central American gyre refers to a large area of cyclonic rotation anchored in Central America bridging the western Atlantic and eastern Pacific oceans. This region is active during the rainy season of the tropics, from May through November.

"There is the potential for one or more systems to develop from this broad circulation through the first days of October," Smerbeck emphasized.

Within this tropical gyre, the air is not only rotating counterclockwise, but it is also rising. Rising air generates clouds, showers and thunderstorms, which can then organize into a tropical depression or storm under the right conditions.

There is a medium risk of tropical development in the western Caribbean Sea and southern Gulf of Mexico from Oct. 1-4.

So far, the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season has produced 10 named storms and six hurricanes. But with more than two months left, there is still plenty of time for more storm development.

As multiple states from Florida all the way up through Ohio recover from Helene, there's another wild card danger in the mix: Electric vehicles.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) first started digging into this threat after 2012's devastating Hurricane Sandy.

Now in the wake of major flood events in places like Florida and North Carolina, NHTSA is ringing the alarm bells about hybrid and electric vehicles, whose batteries can be corrosive and shouldn't be left in standing water.

Flooded vehicles pose shock and fire risks. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor pointed to several house fires in the area that she attributes to flooded electric vehicles.

Storm chaser Aaron Rigsby vividly recounted his harrowing experience with Hurricane Helene, while riding out the storm in Steinhatchee, Florida. The National Hurricane Center estimated based on computer modeling that Hurricane Helene’s storm surge reached at least 15 feet near Keaton Beach, Steinhatchee.

The intense storm surge and flooding left a profound impression on Rigsby. “I tell you, that was one wild ride with that storm surge,” he told AccuWeather. He described a chaotic scene where boats were perched on top of cars, and RVs and campers were shoved up against trees by the powerful waters. “At the bottom of the shelter we were in, the water reached 12 feet,” he added.

See the full interview below:

Turbulent floodwaters from Helene surged around Unicoi County Hospital in Eastern Tennessee Friday morning after the Nolichucky River overflowed and flooded the medical facility. With rescue boats not able to navigate the treacherous waters, a few dozen patients and staff took to the high ground on the hospital's roof as they awaited rescue.

Luckily, helicopter crews from Virginia arrived to rescue patients and staff and bring them to safety.

AccuWeather spoke to Michael Baker, alderman in Erwin, Tennessee about the wild weather that descended on his community courtesy of Helene. "This is a once in a lifetime storm for sure," Baker began. "We believe that it [the waters] broke over 93,000 cfs [cubic feet per second]. This is unprecedented."

Initial attempts by helicopter crews were also unsuccessful because of high winds, but eventually a landing was successful. Baker calls the rescue a team effort, crediting help from Tennessee Governor Bill Lee's team, Representative Diana Harshbarger's office, and Senator Bill Hagerty's office. "Everybody has really come together to make this rescue effort happen."

This is but one story of the far-reaching impact of Helene after it made landfall in Florida Thursday evening.

The worst of Helene is over, but the cleanup and recovery is just beginning with many organizations coming together to help those in need.

“Over the last couple of days we’ve been able to offer safe shelter. We had thousands last night in shelters across several states,” Tracy Fox, National Spokesperson for the American Red Cross, told AccuWeather during an interview on Friday.

“Our top priority right now is ensuring that everyone has a safe place, they have a safe shelter, whether it’s for the day to cool off, charge their phones, get something to eat, and then we’re also out on the front lines.” Watch Fox’s full interview with AccuWeather below where she discusses what is ahead in the coming days:

As Helene continues to make impact inland, states from Florida all the way north to Indiana and Ohio are feeling the impacts of the historic tropical system.

In Florida, where Helene made landfall as a powerful category 4 storm on Thursday evening, nearly 730,000 customers are still without power, according to PowerOutage.us

Unsurprisingly, the most impacted Florida counties are in the Big Bend region of the state where Helene first came onshore. In counties like Madison, Leon, and Taylor, almost all if not all customers are still in the dark.

In Georgia, the second state to be hit by Helene, more than 930,000 or nearly 19 percent of total Georgia customers, are still without power, per PowerOutage.us.

Other states, including Tennessee, West Virginia, and North Carolina are all reeling from outages from Helene. South Carolina has the most customers impacted by outages, with more than 1.2 million without power currently.

As AccuWeather emphasized from the start, the impacts from Helene would be felt far inland to an extent that few storms in history have.

Case in point: Even in Ohio, more than 271,000 customers are without power, mainly in the southern part of the state. Historic impact for generational storm Helene.

A possible tornado damaged 14 buildings and injured 15 people, four seriously, earlier this afternoon in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, about 50 miles northeast of Raleigh. The tornado hit a shopping center, WITN said. It was one of 5 tornado reports Friday from Tropical Storm Helene.

Cedar Key, Florida, is about 70 miles southeast of where Helene made landfall as a Category 4 storm, but that didn’t spare the coastal town from the tremendous winds and storm surge. Drone footage revealed how the first story of a building was nearly stripped clean by the wind-driven storm surge. See the before-and-after comparison below:

Now a tropical depression near the border of Tennessee and Kentucky, Helene is still causing heavy rain over a 15-state area. Wind gusts as high as 64 mph have been measured in Kentucky. Trees are reported down from high winds in Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

A total of 4 million customers are still without power from the storm, with South Carolina now taking the lead over Florida with 1.2 million out. Power outages have been reported as far north as Ohio, which has 62,000 customers in the dark at this hour. 

In one Florida county, five fatalities occurred in neighborhoods where evacuation orders had been issued, according to Bob Gualtieri, the sheriff of Pinellas County near St. Petersburg. He noted that some residents, who disregarded the warnings, ended up seeking refuge in their attics to escape the rising floodwaters.

"We attempted to deploy boats and high-water vehicles, but we encountered too many obstacles," Gualtieri explained. He also mentioned that the death toll might increase as emergency teams conduct door-to-door searches in the affected areas. “I can’t think of a time Pinellas County has ever experienced the kind of surge we experienced last night,” Gualtieri said in a morning news conference.

Around 1,500 emergency workers are focusing on search and rescue efforts, Florida’s top emergency management official said Friday. “As those sorts of rescue missions happen today, and continue, please do not go out and visit the impacted areas,” said Kevin Guthrie, executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management. “I beg of you, do not get in their way.”

In Georgia, a spokesperson for Gov. Brian Kemp says 11 people have died so far from causes related to Hurricane Helene,” according to The Associated Press. Kemp added that the death toll includes a first responder.

Falling trees killed two people in Anderson County in the northwest part of South Carolina, according to Fox Carolina. Two more people died — and four more were injured — in Newberry County as a result of Hurricane Helene, Newberry County Sheriff Lee Foster told CNN.

North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper said there had been two storm-related deaths in the state and he expected more. A tree falling on a home is to blame for one of those deaths in Charlotte, according to WSOC-TV. “The priority now is saving lives,” Cooper said, telling people to stay off the roads unless they were seeking higher ground.

Less than 24 hours after Helene made landfall as a powerful Category 4 hurricane, images from Florida reveal widespread devastation. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said on Friday morning that over 2,000 miles of roadway have been cleared, but debris still litters communities where Helene struck. As the damage in Florida and Georgia becomes clearer, extreme rain from Helene is triggering flash flood emergencies in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.

Hurricane Helene leaves trail of destruction, major flooding

Search and rescue crews rescued several people and pets from flooded cars and apartments as Helene dumped torrential rainfall on Georgia. “We’re still dealing with flash floods across the city of Atlanta. Because of our hilly environment, the bottoms and basins of some of those hills are flooded,” Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said in a Friday morning news conference.

Atlanta received the highest 48-hour rainfall on record over the past two days, with 11.12 inches of rain in 48 hours, breaking the previous record of 9.59 inches in 48 hours set back in 1886, according to the Georgia State Climatologist Office. 

"Due to the devastating impacts of Tropical Storm Helena, including significant flooding and power outages, I am declaring a State of Emergency for the City of Atlanta, effective immediately. This declaration will allow us to access vital federal and state resources to expedite our recovery efforts and ensure the safety and well-being of all Atlanta residents." Mayor Dickens said. 

The National Hurricane Center estimated, based on computer modeling, that Hurricane Helene's storm surge reached at least 15 feet near Keaton Beach, Steinhatchee, and Horseshoe Beach, Florida. The National Weather Service only has one tidal gauge in the Big Bend of Florida, at Cedar Key. 

That gauge reached 9.3 feet, smashing its previous record of 6.89 feet, set during Hurricane Idalia in 2023. That level was 10.33 feet above normal tide for that time and date. Storm surge is computed by subtracting the normal tide from the gauge's reading.

To document true storm surge heights, meteorologists from the National Weather Service, the U.S. Geological Service, and private weather companies will examine the water level marks left on debris in the most heavily damaged areas.

There are now 25 storm-related deaths confirmed in four states.

Florida is reporting at least eight deaths in the wake of Hurricane Helene’s monster landfall near Perry in the state’s Big Bend region with five of those deaths in Pinellas County near Tampa. “I can’t think of a time Pinellas County has ever experienced the kind of surge we experienced last night,” Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said in a morning news conference.

Drowning accounted for at least two of five deaths in Pinellas County; a falling tree killed someone in a home in the Big Bend’s Dixie County, a sign hit a car being driven on Interstate 4 near Tampa’s Ybor City neighborhood and a woman in her late 70s was found dead in Tampa, according to CNN.

Around 1,500 emergency workers are focusing on search and rescue efforts, Florida’s top emergency management official said Friday. “As those sorts of rescue missions happen today, and continue, please do not go out and visit the impacted areas,” said Kevin Guthrie, executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management. “I beg of you, do not get in their way.”

In Georgia, a spokesperson for Gov. Brian Kemp says 11 people have died so far from causes related to Hurricane Helene,” according to The Associated Press.

Falling trees killed two people in Anderson County in the northwest part of South Carolina, according to Fox Carolina. Two more people died — and four more were injured — in Newberry County as a result of Hurricane Helene, Newberry County Sheriff Lee Foster told CNN.

North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper said there had been two storm-related deaths in the state and he expected more. A tree falling on a home is to blame for one of those deaths in Charlotte, according to WSOC-TV. “The priority now is saving lives,” Cooper said, telling people to stay off the roads unless they were seeking higher ground.

The once serene beach town of Cedar Key, Florida, now lies in ruins, a testament to the unfathomable destruction wrought by Hurricane Helene. Captured in a harrowing drone video by storm chaser Brandon Clement, the widespread devastation is evident in every frame.

The storm, which made landfall on the night of Sept. 26, unleashed a catastrophic storm surge that reached an unprecedented 10.34 feet, shattering the previous record set by Hurricane Idalia just a year prior.

The relentless waters submerged homes, businesses, and landmarks, leaving behind a landscape of debris. Multiple tidal gauges in the region recorded record-breaking levels, further underscoring the sheer magnitude of Helene’s fury. As Cedar Key grapples with the aftermath, the community faces the daunting task of rebuilding amidst the overwhelming loss and destruction.

As of 10 a.m. EDT Friday, Sept. 27, these are some of the numbers associated with Hurricane Helene and the rain that preceded it.

27.55 inches

At Busick, North Carolina, a weather station has measured 27.55 inches of rain in the last 48 hours.

4.3 million

With more than 4 million customers without power, Helene has delivered the most concurrent power outages since the 2021 Texas cold snap, which had a similar number, according to PowerOutage.US. For hurricanes, this is the largest number since Hurricane Irma knocked out power to 7.6 million customers in 2017.

10x

Power outages increased 10-fold from 430,000 at 7 p.m. Thursday night to 4,300,000 at 10 a.m. Friday morning.

10.34 feet

The storm surge at Cedar Key, Florida, rose to 10.34 feet, beating by far the previous record from Hurricane Idalia on August 30, 2023, at 6.69 feet. Several other tidal gauges in the area also broke records.

107 mph

Although there weren't many weather stations in the remote area where it made landfall, the strongest wind gust recorded during Hurricane Helene was 107 mph at the West Tampa Buoy in the Gulf of Mexico. Perry, Florida also gusted to 98 mph, with 100 mph at Alma, Georgia.

18 warnings

The number of Particularly Dangerous Situation Flash Flood Emergency Warnings issued by the National Weather Service today is 18, the most in one day since Iowa Environmental Mesonet records began in 2002. This also breaks the record for the most in one month or year.

30 feet

Waves were measured as high as 30 feet by the Pulley Ridge Buoy off the coast of southwest Florida late Thursday.

56 gauges

The National Weather Service reported Friday morning that 56 of their river gauges are at moderate or major flood stage. At least four gauges have risen to all-time records.

As daylight revealed the extent of destruction across Florida, state and local authorities were out in force responding to calls for help. “Search and rescue operations were conducted to help people in distress and transport people to safety. These missions continue, but we’ve had thousands of missions successfully completed in the overnight hours throughout the state,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a Friday morning news conference from the State Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee.

Crews will continue to help people amid flooding and widespread power outages, DeSantis added. As of 10:00 a.m. EDT, 1.1 million Florida customers were without power, according to PowerOutage.us. Most of those were concentrated in Taylor County, where Helene roared ashore, and then northward, up into Madison, Jefferson, Suwannee, and Columbia counties.

Florida is reporting three deaths in the wake of Hurricane Helene’s monster landfall near Perry in the state’s Big Bend region including a person killed in Ybor City near Tampa when a sign fell on their car. "We did report that there was a traffic fatality last night. We can also this morning report there was a fatality in Dixie County due to a tree falling on a home due to the storm, Gov. Ron DeSantis said during a Friday morning news conference.

In Georgia, EMA Director Bill Laird told WMAZ that 4 people in the state were killed. One person died after a tree fell on a house and another died in a car crash. He said they’ve had at least 140 “tree down” calls throughout the night. Two more people died after a suspected tornado flipped a mobile home. Wheeler County EMA director Steve Adams says the two people were found in a field about 100 yards from where their mobile home was located before the storm roared in.

Someone was killed in South Carolina when a tree fell on their home in Anderson County, according to Fox Carolina.

A tree falling on a home is to blame for another death in Charlotte, North Carolina, according to WSOC-TV.

Multiple flash flood emergencies have been issued across Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina amid extreme rainfall from Helene, including in downtown Atlanta. Over 5 inches of rain have fallen in the city over the past 12 hours, and over 11 inches has fallen since Tuesday. The National Weather Service warned this is a “particularly dangerous situation” and people in the city should seek higher ground.

A radar image of Helene over the Southeast on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (AccuWeather)

The heaviest rain from Helene is currently falling over South Carolina and North Carolina, with some towns almost completely underwater. In Hendersonville, North Carolina, located about 90 miles west of Charlotte, one of the main roads looked more like a lake due to the extreme rainfall. Experts strongly advise people to avoid floodwaters, as you cannot see what lies beneath the surface, and the water may contain sewage and drainage system overflow.

As Helene slammed into Florida on Thursday night, a tsunami-like flood inundated coastal towns, including Steinhatchee, located a few miles south of where the storm made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane. Storm Chaser Aaron Rigsby was in Steinhatchee and captured dramatic video of entire buildings floating away as the storm surge pushed inland. As Rigsby looked on from higher ground, he saw several homes bunched up against some trees, similar to a pileup on a highway. Watch the startling video below:

Rescue crews were out rescuing people trapped by floodwaters as over 3 million customers were left without power across much of the southeastern U.S. Hurricane Helene weakened to a tropical storm over Georgia early Friday after making landfall just after 11:00 p.m. EDT as a massive Category 4 storm.

At least 6 deaths have been reported, according to The Associated Press. One person was killed in Florida when a sign fell on their car, and two people died when a possible tornado ripped through south Georgia as the storm approached. Another person died in Charlotte, North Carolina, when a tree fell on a home as the storm blasted the area early Friday.

As Helene continues moving northward, power outages are spreading through northern Florida and into Georgia and South Carolina. Numerous counties are reporting more than 80 percent of customers without electricity. Power outages are likely to continuing expanding into North Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky today, as Helene moves northward and then northwestward.

Despite losing wind intensity and becoming a Category 1 hurricane, Helene is still producing strong and damaging winds. As a result, an extreme wind warning is in effect for portions of northern Florida and southern Georgia.

Around the time Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida, power outages across the state surged to over 1 million. The majority of these outages are concentrated around Tampa and the Big Bend area, where Helene struck. According to PowerOutage.us, over 80% of tracked electric customers in Dixie, Gilchrist, Lafayette, Levy, Suwannee, and Taylor counties are affected.

Power outages are also increasing in Georgia, where approximately 54,000 electric customers were without power around midnight, local time. AccuWeather meteorologists predict more outages as Helene moves inland, with some outages potentially lasting several days to over a week.

A satellite image of Hurricane Helene as it made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane on Sept. 26, 2024. (NOAA/GOES-EAST)

At 11:10 p.m. EDT, the eye of Hurricane Helene made landfall southwest of Perry, Florida, as a dangerous Category 4 storm with 140-mph winds. Landfall occurred extremely close to where Hurricane Debby made landfall earlier this season, and where Hurricane Idalia slammed into Florida in 2023.

The risk to lives and property will remain extreme as Helene plows inland with hurricane-force winds sparking widespread power outages into Georgia that can last for an extended period of time. Additionaly, Helene could cause a flooding disaster as it unloads more than a foot of rain in the mountains of North Carolina, South Carolina and northern Georgia. “Some communities may be cut off with no way to enter or exit for days if there is damage to infrastructure such as bridges and roadways,” AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter warned.

As Hurricane Helene barrels toward Florida, the situation is escalating at an alarming rate. “As bad as things are now, they are going to ramp up very quickly in the next 40 minutes,” Bernie Rayno cautioned, adding that wind gusts of at least 115 mph were headed toward the city of Perry, Florida.

Storm chaser Aaron Jayjack reported live from Perry amid an extreme wind warning, with gusts exceeding 60 mph as Rayno described the rain coming in horizontally, nearly knocking Jayjack over as he stood against the fierce winds.

“Stay safe, my friend, you’re going to get hit by the strongest hurricane to ever strike Big Bend, Florida,” AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Bernie Rayno warned.

Already, power outages are flickering throughout the region, and conditions are expected to deteriorate rapidly. The residents of Big Bend are urged to take immediate precautions as Hurricane Helene makes its imminent and powerful landfall.

Just an hour ago, more than 630,000 electric customers in Florida were without power, according to PowerOutage.us. Now that number has risen to nearly 725,000 customers in Florida who have lost power in advance of Helene's imminent landfall in the state.

One concern in Florida capital Tallahassee is the many tall old oak trees in the city, leading to concerns of downed trees which will lead to mobile home damage and power outages. Some of these mobile homes were still recovering after a devastating tornado earlier in the year, reported AccuWeather's Ali Reid.

Once Helene makes landfall, it will continue to impact multiple southeastern states. More than 30,000 customers in Georgia are already without power, with more than 12,000 customers having lost power in North Carolina, according to PowerOutage.us.

A radar image of Hurricane Helene as the eye reached the coast of Florida on Sept. 26, 2024. (AccuWeather)

Helene is less than an hour from making landfall in Florida as a monster Category 4 hurricane. The area just outside the eye of a storm is where the strongest winds blow, and that is the part of Helene that is beginning to move over land. The worst of the storm is blasting the coast southeast of Tallahassee near mouth of the Aucilla River, Florida, around the same spot where Hurricane Idalia made landfall last year. Lightning has also been flickering in the eye, a sign that Helene could still be strengthening.

Storm Chaser Mike Scantlin is in Perry, Florida, where winds have dramatically picked up in the past 20 minutes. “I think this is exactly where the eye is going to go right over us here,” Scantlin said. “With power flickering already, it’s going to be a long, powerless night here in Perry.”

“I’m feeling [sic] knots in my stomach, that is the best way to describe what is happening right now,” AccuWeather National Reporter Ali Reid said early Thursday night from downtown Tallahassee, Florida. “Because of the fact that we truly are going from zero to potentially 100 here in terms of when this storm actually comes true, it’s going to be a bit of a shock factor.”

Reid added that it was “eerily quiet” in Tallahassee with only some wind and rain, with conditions expected to deteriorate as the night go on.

The strongest winds from Category 4 Helene are starting to move ashore with the eyewall just miles from the Florida coast, prompting a rare “extreme wind warning” to be issued by the National Weather Service (NWS). People in this area should treat it like a tornado and take shelter in a safe interior room. “THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION!” the NWS said in the alert. People will need to stay in their safe spot for several hours until after the eye of Hurricane Helene has passed and the intense winds subside.

Maximum winds in the eye of Helene have risen again, reaching 140 mph, with further strengthening possible as the eye begins to make landfall in Florida.

Waffle House preemptively closed some of its restaurants in Florida due to the impending storm, although specific numbers or locations were not disclosed.

In the southern United States, the closure of a Waffle House is often seen as a sign of a serious storm. It comes from Waffle House’s reputation for being well-prepared for disasters and either remaining open during disastrous weather or reopening shortly afterward. This notion is encapsulated in the “Waffle House Index,” an informal measure used by a former FEMA official to gauge the severity of storm impacts on an area. “In regions forecasted to be most affected, we will close our restaurants ahead of the storm with the intention of reopening as soon as it is safe,” stated Njeri Boss, Waffle House’s vice president of food safety and public relations told CNN in an email.

At least one Waffle House location in Tallahassee has closed, another in Naples, and other locations in the area are currently not accepting online orders. Locations around Panama City Beach, some in the Tampa Bay area, and a few in southern Georgia have also shut down online ordering.

The number of power outages across Florida is rapidly increasing as winds from Helene intensify along the state’s Gulf Coast. Shortly before 10 p.m. EDT, more than 631,000 electric customers were without power, according to PowerOutage.us. The majority of these outages were reported in coastal counties, with over 250,000 affected in the Tampa area alone.

Power outages are also beginning to rise in Georgia and the Carolinas. In particular, Georgia is expected to see a significant increase in outages as the eye of Hurricane Helene moves inland overnight and into Friday morning. AccuWeather meteorologists warn that power outages in the hardest-hit areas could last more than a week due to the dense tree cover in this region of the Gulf Coast.

As Helene marches towards the Big Bend region of Florida for an expected landfall in a few hours, Steinhatchee, Florida is already seeing rapidly deteriorating conditions.

AccuWeather spoke with CNN Newsource Correspondent Michael Yoshida who was live from Steinhatchee in advance of landfall. "We're starting to see the wind, the rain pick up," Yoshida said. "The concern was all of that storm surge potential, all of that water."

Steinhatchee is a low lying area that was also hit by Idalia. Yoshida spoke with a marina owner, who said several of their docks were lost during that storm last year.

The sheriff's office had been knocking on doors in recent days, asking residents if they had an evacuation plan and encouraging those who were lingering to leave.

AccuWeather is predicting storm surges of 10-15 feet in that area.

Windows are boarded up, the storm surge is rising and conditions are deteriorating in Apalachicola, Florida, as Helene powers toward the U.S. coast as a monster Category 4 storm. “We’re losing daylight, the situation is gonna be getting much worse,” AccuWeather National Reporter Bill Wadell said while reporting live from Apalachicola on Thursday evening. Wadell added that people were evacuating all day, but some residents remained in town ready to ride out the storm. “We can tell you virtually every single business here in Apalachicola is shut down and locked up tight,” Wadell added. Watch Wadell’s live report below:

Helene will make landfall in Florida and quickly move inland into Georgia while still retaining hurricane status.

AccuWeather's Tony Laubach reported from Cordele, Georgia, more than 30 miles inland from the Big Bend region in Florida where Helene is forecast to make landfall. "[Helene] is still going to maintain its hurricane intensity over 100 miles inland," Laubach said. "We think Georgia is going to see some significant impacts from this."

Laubach emphasizes that Georgians won't just be dealing with torrential rain, but wind gusts of over 100 miles per hour.

Power crews are stationed in Cordele along the I-75, ready to jump into action to deal with power outages when the storm passes.

So far, Laubach reports cloudy skies and the beginning of some rain. By nightfall, Helene will start to approach Georgia in earnest.

With trees and other hazards falling in darkness, it's important to stay inside and off roads.

Helene ranks among the largest storms in the Gulf of Mexico over the past century, with a wind field that could cover the distance between Indianapolis and Washington, DC, CNN reports.

Massive size:

A satellite image of Hurricane Helene just before sunset on Sept. 26, 2024, around the time that it was upgraded to a category 4 storm. (NOAA/GOES-EAST)

AccuWeather hurricane expert Dan DePodwin explains “Tropical storm force wind gusts extend up to 310 miles outward from the center. However, when you look at how far they stretch in their entirety, it’s nearly all of Florida which is equivalent to 450 miles. The tropical storm force wind gusts cover roughly 3x the area that they did during Beryl earlier this year.”

Catastrophic wind damage:

The massive sprawl of Helene will lead to higher storm surges and dangerous winds extending far inland, likely causing widespread power outages across the Southeast. Officials warn that the catastrophic wind damage from the storm could result in power outages that may “likely last days, if not weeks.”

Category 4 hurricanes have sustained winds over 130 mph that can severely damage homes, snap trees and down power lines. Power outages in homes and businesses in Florida are already at 350,000, according to the tracking site poweroutage.us.

“Unsurvivable” Storm Surge:

The storm surge could reach up to 20 feet along Florida’s Big Bend. The National Weather Service is warning of an “unsurvivable” storm surge in Apalachee Bay.

As AccuWeather predicted, Helene continues to rapidly intensify and is now a major Category 4 storm with maximum sustained wind speeds of 130 mph.

The storm has gone through rapid intensification over the ultra warm Gulf of Mexico waters and could intensify a bit more, according to AccuWeather meteorologists. Helene is forecast to peak as a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.

Helene is expected to make landfall along Florida's Big Bend region, bringing the risk of devastating damage. The storm could retrain its category 4 status as it makes landfall later tonight.

Leslie Hudson reported live from rising floodwaters in Tampa just hours ahead of Hurricane Helene’s landfall on the evening of September 26. Reporting from Gulfport, Hudson described the dire situation: “As you can see, it is very high, the surge. It’s already up to the top of my waders.”

The broadcast showed water inundating storefronts, roofs being ripped off, and dozens of boats unmoored and crashing around, all while the storm was still hours away from making landfall. Hudson noted, “It’s very difficult to stand, and of course, we’re anticipating the worst weather in the coming hours.”

Ken Graham, director of the National Weather Service flew with the hurricane hunters over Hurricane Helene today. Describing his experience, Graham remarked, “We saw just an incredible, powerful storm.” Graham recounted a particularly striking moment during their fourth penetration into the eye of the storm, noting that the storm was so powerful it pushed the plane up 1,500 feet almost in an instant.” His firsthand observations underscore the sheer intensity of Helene, prompting him to urge everyone to “take it really seriously.”

See the full interview below:

In a stark and sobering plea, the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office is urging residents who have chosen to stay behind and not evacuate ahead of Hurricane Helene to write their names and identifying information on their bodies with a permanent marker.

This grim measure is intended to aid in identification in the event of fatalities caused by the storm. The request underscores the extreme danger posed by Helene, highlighting the life-threatening conditions expected from its powerful winds, storm surge, and flooding. It serves as a powerful reminder of the severe risks associated with choosing to remain in the path of such a devastating hurricane.

Thursday morning, a surveillance camera in a Cape Coral, Florida home captured a possible tornado which sent debris flying.

Cape Coral, Florida is on Florida's southwest coast, not where Helene will make landfall. Nonetheless, the event showcases the far-reaching impact of Helene, which will impact a number of southeastern states in the next 24 hours.

AccuWeather has emphasized the possibility of tornadoes with Helene, particularly to the east of its track and this footage is one example of the kind of severe weather than can spawn.

As Helene continues north, conditions may cause considerable risk to lives and property even as the storm travels well inland from strong winds and flooding rain in portions of Georgia, South Carolina, western North Carolina, the Virginia Panhandle, eastern Tennessee and perhaps parts of Kentucky and West Virginia.

As Helene continues its track towards Florida, the storm will not just be catastrophic at landfall but well inland, including in states like Georgia and the Carolinas.

Georgia officials are urging people to stay home while responder teams step in to deal with Helene's impact.

On the heels of issuing a state of emergency for all 159 Georgia counties yesterday, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp continued to emphasize the danger of Helene at a Thursday press conference: “This is one of the biggest storms we’ve ever had...It may not be the strongest category, but from a wind field perspective and the amount of damage it has the potential to do statewide, it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

Georgia is bracing for extended power outages as the storm moves through the southern part of the state first and then north towards Atlanta.

Gov. Kemp also spoke about emergency shelters and Red Cross teams that will be mobilized. “I can assure you we will respond with every asset that we have available as soon as its safe to do so,” Kemp said.

A dramatic video captured on September 26 shows powerful storm surge from Hurricane Helene crashing into the Matlacha Bridge in Lee County, Florida. 

This traffic camera footage underscores the life-threatening danger posed by Helene’s storm surge along the Florida coast. Residents in the affected areas are urged to heed evacuation orders and take immediate precautions. The storm surge, which could reach heights of 15-20 feet in some locations at landfall, has the potential to cause catastrophic flooding and widespread property damage.

This same area was pounded by storm surge when Hurricane Ian made landfall almost exactly two years ago on Sept. 28, 2022, near the Barriers islands, including Sanibel, Captiva, and Pine islands. These islands were cut off from the rest of the state when roads connecting them to the mainland—including the Matlacha Bridge—were damaged or destroyed and submerged.

The mountains of southwest North Carolina, which have already seen more than 10 inches of rain ahead of Hurricane Helene, could get that much more before the storm is over. Three river gauges are expected to break their all-time highest crests: the French Broad River at Blantyre and Fletcher, North Carolina, and the Swannanoa River at Biltmore.

AccuWeather meteorologists warn that Hurricane Helene will be a "once-in-a-generation storm" because of the catastrophic flooding it will bring to the southern Appalachians.

The National Weather Service is forecasting the French Broad River at Fletcher, south of Asheville, to break its all-time record by over 10 feet, rising to over 30 feet. The record was during Hurricane Frances in 2004, when the gauge rose to 20.13 feet on Sept. 8, 2004. Records for this station go back to 2002.

At 4 p.m. EDT Thursday, more than 150,000 customers in the Southeast were without power due to Hurricane Helene's heavy rain and high winds. Florida accounted for 115,000 outages, up from only 10,000 at 5 a.m., according to PowerOutage.US.

Miami-Dade, Collier, and Sarasota counties made up 50,000 of the state's outages. Helene has spread high winds over the entire state, causing scattered reports of downed trees and powerlines.

Hurricane Helene on satellite on the afternoon of Sept. 26, 2024.

Hurricane Helene has intensified significantly, reaching Category 3 status as it churns through the Gulf of Mexico. Meteorologists have been closely monitoring its development, noting that the storm's sustained winds have now surpassed 120 mph.

Helene will continue to gain strength due to favorable conditions, including warm sea surface temperatures and low wind shear, AccuWeather experts say.

As it approaches the coast, Helene is likely to escalate to a Category 4 hurricane by the time it makes landfall near the city of St. Marks between 10:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. Thursday night. This escalation poses a serious threat to coastal communities, prompting officials to issue mandatory evacuations and warnings to prepare for emergency response measures.

Because of the shape of the coast around Apalachee Bay, Florida, which can trap excess water, and the forecast intensity and track of Helene, AccuWeather meteorologists anticipate a storm surge up to the height of a two-story building, or 15-20 feet, Thursday night. At this height, some single-story buildings along the coast may be completely underwater.

“There is increasing confidence of catastrophic and potentially unsurvivable storm surge for Apalachee Bay,” the NWS said. A significant and dangerous storm surge will extend well to the south and east of where the eye comes ashore.

Conditions at Nora Patterson Park in Sarasota, FL, as of 1:00 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26. (Photo credit: Sarasota County Government)

Officials said conditions along the coastal areas near Sarasota, about 60 miles from Tampa on Florida’s Gulf Coast, were beginning to deteriorate early Thursday afternoon.

Conditions at Nora Patterson Park in Sarasota, FL, as of 1:00 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26. Conditions at Nora Patterson Park in Sarasota, FL, as of 1:00 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26. (Photo credit: Sarasota County Government)

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office posted photos on social media showing water lapping over a road at Nora Patterson Park, which is on the northern tip of Siesta Key, along with a caption reading, “A reminder that coastal areas are already experiencing flooding and conditions are expected to continue to deteriorate due to Hurricane Helene. Turn around, don’t drown.”

AccuWeather forecasters advise that Hurricane Helene will likely make landfall as a dangerous Category 4 storm near the city of Apalachicola and the communities along the shores of Apalachee Bay in Franklin County, Florida.

Gulf and Franklin County are issuing mandatory evacuation orders due to the track and intensity of Hurricane Helene with Franklin County Emergency Management Officials issuing a mandatory evacuation for all barrier islands (St. George Island, Dog Island, Bald Point, and Alligator Point), low-lying and flood-prone areas, especially along the coast and rivers, mobile homes, and RV parks.

Gulf County Emergency Management Officials have issued mandatory evacuations for all visitors to Indian Pass, Cape San Blas, and Simmons Bayou and for all recreational vehicles (RVs) in these areas. A mandatory evacuation was also issued for Highland View, Wind Mark, St. Joe Beach, Beacon Hill, and the City of Port St. Joe from the bay to Garrison Avenue.

AccuWeather foreasters say that at landfall on Thursday evening - between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. EDT - Helene will have maximum sustained winds of 130-135 mph, with much stronger gusts to at least 150 mph. Storm surge of 15 - 20 feet is also expected. “There is increasing confidence of catastrophic and potentially unsurvivable storm surge for Apalachee Bay,” the NWS said.

The last bus transporting people to a shelter left the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department at 1:45 p.m. EDT.

Franklin County Sheriff A.J. “Tony” Smith said they also transported inmates to a safer location and urged all residents to evacuate. “If I wasn’t the sheriff I’d be evacuating, you can believe that, because this is not going to be fun…A Cat 4 hurricane is catastrophic, not to mention a 20-foot tidal surge, which I don’t think we’ve seen here in a long time,” Franklin County Sheriff A.J. “Tony” Smith said on Facebook.

Franklin County Florida Emergency Management said that for hurricane questions related to health in Franklin County, the patient should call (850) 653-2111 (and press 2 when prompted). In Gulf County, please call (850) 227-1276 (and press 2 when prompted)

As many as 40 million people, including students across Florida, are facing the impacts of Hurricane Helene. Storm chaser Aaron Jayjack reports students at Florida State in Tallahassee have taken shelter at the conference center on campus while others with available transportation have evacuated. “It’s going to pretty much be a stay-indoors-all-day type of day with all this rain and things are only going to get worse.”

In a statement, the university said Florida State University residence hall students remaining on campus will shelter-in-place during Helene inside the university’s Augustus B. Turnbull Conference Center, which was upgraded to withstand extreme conditions.

“People have got their bags, their suitcases packed, expecting multiple days having to stay here at this shelter because they’re not going to release the students here until the all clear is given and that may be several days as they try to clean up the roadways here and get things cleared,” Jayjack said.

Students living off-campus should follow the direction of local emergency management officials. The university advises all students and parents to continue to check alerts.fsu.edu and the SeminoleSAFE mobile app for updates.

Warm water is fuel for hurricanes, and this season the ocean temperatures across the Atlantic have been in record territory. As tropical storms and hurricanes pass over warm surface waters, the wave action produced by strong winds blowing on the ocean creates massive waves and upwelling, where water from the depths mixes with the surface.

Most of the time, this leads to the colder, deeper water cooling the surface water, causing the intensity of a slow-moving hurricane to level off or weaken. But if the warm water reaches down deep, the less impact upwelling will have in slowing the storm. This deep, warm water can greatly increase the chances of rapid intensification.

In Helene’s case AccuWeather’s Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva says Hurricane Helene will continue to strengthen leading up to landfall in Florida late tonight. “This is the ocean heat content (OHC), essentially the depth of that warm water…Very deep, very warm water, so I think that’s why over the next 6 to 12 hours we could really see this thing ramp off prior to landfall.

Rapid intensification refers to a process when tropical storms and hurricanes quickly become stronger. Specifically, it means a storm’s wind speed increases by at least 35 mph within 24 hours. This phenomenon can cause a tropical storm to escalate into a hurricane or a hurricane to jump one or more categories in less than a day.

AccuWeather forecasters say the monster storm is likely to make landfall near Apalachicola in Florida’s Big Bend area around 10 p.m. EDT or slightly later.

Even before making landfall, the weather was causing chaos for travelers heading to and from Florida. Over 1,000 U.S. flights are cancelled Thursday due to Helene, according to FlightAware,com, with nearly half of those at Tampa International Airport.

Tallahassee International Airport is closed on Thursday, Sept. 26. Officials said they will be closed to the public until damage assessments are completed after the hurricane.

Tampa International Airport is closed on Thursday, Sept. 26. Officials said they will be closed to the public until damage assessments are completed after the hurricane.

St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport is closed on Thursday, Sept. 26. Officials said they will be closed to the public until damage assessments are completed after the hurricane.

Southwest Florida International Airport near Fort Myers is open but notes the following airlines have canceled flights on Thursday and advises travelers to check with their airlines: Air Canada, American, Breeze, Frontier, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit, Sun Country, United and WestJet have cancelled flight operations today

Miami International Airport remains open and operational and advises travelers to check with airlines for flight status.

Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport near Panama City Beach is open but advises travelers to check with airlines for flight status.

Orlando International Airport remains open and operational and also advises travelers to check with airlines for flight status.

Jacksonville International Airport is currently open and operational. They advise travelers to check with their airlines for the latest flight information.

The Department of Transportation requires all airlines to offer customers a refund if their flights are canceled for any reason. Customers may be entitled to additional compensation if a cancellation is within the airline’s control. Weather is outside their control.

According to the DOT's consumer dashboard, if Alaska, American, Delta, Hawaiian, JetBlue or United cancel a flight for controllable reasons, they’re committed to:

• Rebooking passengers on the same airline or a partner airline at no extra cost

• Providing a meal or cash or a voucher for a meal when the cancellation results in a passenger waiting at least 3 hours for a new flight

• Providing complimentary hotel accommodations for any passenger affected by an overnight cancellation

• Providing complimentary ground transportation to and from a hotel for any passenger affected by an overnight cancellation

Allegiant, Southwest, and Spirit will do all of the above, except they do not rebook customers on partner airlines.

What if my flight is delayed?

Federal laws do not require airlines to compensate travelers for delayed flights, but carriers have committed to various degrees of compensation for significant delays within their control. Each airline defines significant delays differently, and weather does not count.

On Wednesday afternoon, Hurricane Helene tracked over the same area of the Gulf of Mexico where Hurricane Beryl was on July 5. When the snapshots of the storms were taken by weather satellites, they had similar winds around Category 1 strength. However, Helene was significantly larger, and it was just starting to ramp up.

When Beryl crashed into Texas several days later as a Category 1 storm, its winds knocked out power to more than 2 million across the Houston area with some outages lasting more than a week. Helene is predicted to be much stronger when it makes landfall in Florida and plows inland over Georgia. “Helene is a very dangerous hurricane and could become a ‘once-in-a-generation storm’ across western South Carolina and North Carolina, as well as northern and eastern Georgia,” AccuWeather Senior Director of Forecasting Operations Dan DePodwin stated. Due to the intense winds and abundance of trees in this part of the Southeast, extensive, long-lasting power outages are likely in the hardest-hit areas.

Rainfall amounts as of Thursday morning, ahead of Hurricane Helene, as the storm feeds moisture into a cold front over the Southeast.

Rainfall totals have already exceeded 7 inches in parts of Florida and Georgia and 9 inches in the North Carolina mountains. North Carolina Department of Transportation cameras in Hendersonville, 20 miles southeast of Asheville, showed water covering roads Thursday morning. This rainfall is associated with a cold front in the Southeast U.S. Helene will continue to add to this heavy rainfall to these areas through Friday night, causing life-threatening flooding from the "once-in-a-generation" storm. 

Flooding in Hendersonville, NC ahead of Hurricane Helene on Thursday morning, Sept. 26, 2024. (NC DOT)

With damage remaining from recent tornadoes in Leon County, Florida, combined with a mandatory evacuation order for Helene, many residents are scared of what will happen to their homes when Helene’s Category 4 winds roar ashore.

Tallahassee resident Destiny Campbell told AccuWeather’s Ali Reid the tornado damage was something she’d never seen before. “…It just destroyed here and it was very scary. We’re all scared. Most of the trees you can see around my house, they’re all damaged from the tornado that just happened not so long ago so it’s definitely something to think about.”

Winds of 39 to 46 miles per hour are strong enough to break twigs and small branches, according to the Beaufort Wind Scale. Stronger winds 47 to 54 miles per hour could cause damage to chimney covers, roofing tiles, small twigs and broken branches are also likely. Typical wind speeds that can be strong enough to knock over a vulnerable tree are between 55 and 63 miles per hour. Damaging winds from violent storms can uproot even the healthiest trees and cause widespread damage to structures, as some of these winds could be upwards of 100 miles per hour.

Wind isn’t the only factor to take into account, according to Daniel Coy, Urban and Community Forestry for Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources. Several variables, including the health of the tree, proximity to other trees, even whether or not the trees have leaves on them are also factored into tree damage during a hurricane.

As Floridians frantically filled sandbags on Wednesday, Storm Chaser Mike Scantlin met Tyler Shore, who was in a unique situation. In 2022, Shore lived in Fort Myers, Florida, which was ground zero for Hurricane Ian. After the storm, Shore decided to move to Tallahassee, which is now directly in the path of Hurricane Helene.

“We had a tornado here in May,” Shore recalled. “Just to see how much a tornado can do in such little time, I’m really scared to image what a [sic] Category 3 plus hurricane can do here.” Shore added that his biggest fear is all of the trees amid winds over 100 mph, and he is planning to evacuate to a safer area before the worst of Helene arrives. Watch the full interview below:

Helen's storm surge has risen to as high as 2.5 feet above normal on the Florida Coast, causing flooding in many beach towns Thursday morning, including Sarasota, Fort Myers, and Clearwater Beach. Hurricane Helene's storm surge will continue to increase as she moves towards landfall tonight at 10 p.m. EDIT as a Category 4 hurricane.

Storm surge from Hurricane Helene, as reported by tidal gauges on the morning of Sept. 26, 2024. (NOAA)

AccuWeather is providing extensive, on-the-ground coverage of Helene’s landfall with a dedicated team of expert meteorologists, reporters, and storm chasers strategically positioned across the Gulf Coast.

Our team is working around the clock to deliver real-time updates, in-depth analysis, and the latest storm developments. From the initial impact to the aftermath, AccuWeather’s comprehensive reporting ensures you stay informed and prepared during this critical weather event.

Click here for the latest Florida evacuation orders including a list and a map.

Click here to read the forecast: Hurricane Helene to roar ashore in Florida’s Big Bend as a Category 4.

AccuWeather National Reporter Bill Wadell is in Apalachicola, Florida, near where Helene is projected to make landfall as a life-threatening Category 4 storm. “It was a mad dash in the rain yesterday to get sand bags filled up,” Wadell said. To make matters worse, the weather didn’t cooperate on Wednesday, with thunder, lightning and a flash flood warning, which slowed down last-minute preparations.

Some residents told Wadell that they are evacuating, while others said they were hunkering down to ride out the storm. “We do expect to see more people packing up and leaving here later today,” Wadell added. There are still a few hours for people to evacuate, but time is quickly running out.

Rain has already begun in Tallahassee, Florida, but conditions will rapidly worsen as Helene’s center moves northward. The most severe conditions in Tallahassee are expected between 7 p.m. Thursday and 3 a.m. Friday, with wind gusts potentially reaching up to 120 mph. Such strong winds can damage structures and cause widespread power outages. Additionally, Helene could bring up to a foot of rain, nearly three times the average rainfall for the entire month of September. The window for evacuation is closing, and those planning to stay should ensure all preparations are completed by midday.

Hurricane Helene on satellite on the morning of Sept. 26, 2024.

Hurricane Helene is intensifying as it barrels toward Florida with maximum winds rising to 100 mph, making it a Category 2 storm. AccuWeather meteorologists expect Helene to grow even stronger throughout the day, eventually becoming a major Category 4 hurricane. At landfall along the Florida Panhandle on Thursday evening - between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. EDT - Helene will have maximum sustained winds of 130-135 mph, with much stronger gusts to at least 150 mph.

As Helene moves inland over Georgia and into the Carolinas, hurricane-force winds are expected to cause widespread power outages. Additionally, 8 to 12 inches of rain could fall over the mountains of North Carolina, South Carolina, and northern Georgia, leading to significant flooding.

“Helene is a very dangerous hurricane and could become a ‘once-in-a-generation storm’ across western South Carolina and North Carolina, as well as northern and eastern Georgia,” AccuWeather Senior Director of Forecasting Operations Dan DePodwin said. “Helene could cause a flooding disaster in some areas of the southeastern United States, especially in northern Georgia, upstate South Carolina and western North Carolina,” AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter added. “Some communities may be cut off with no way to enter or exit for days if there is damage to infrastructure such as bridges and roadways.”

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, with the Dragon spacecraft atop, is vertical at the launch pad of Space Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, ahead of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 launch to the International Space Station. (NASA/SpaceX)

Deteriorating conditions from Hurricane Helene is forcing NASA and SpaceX to delay the next crewed launch to the International Space Station. The Crew-9 mission was slated to blast off on Thursday, but the launch has been postponed to Saturday due to Helene. “[T]he storm system is large enough that high winds and heavy rain are expected in the Cape Canaveral and Merritt Island regions on Florida’s east coast,” NASA said in a press release.

The Crew-9 mission will launch NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov to the International Space Station on a five-month mission. The pair will join NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who arrived at the station in June on the Boeing Starliner, but stayed in space when the spacecraft returned to Earth earlier in September. All four astronauts will return to Earth early next year in the SpaceX Dragon capsule.

New York Mets' Yoenis Cespedes reacts after striking out against Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Marcus Walden in the sixth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 29, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

A late season MLB matchup between the New York Mets and the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday and Thursday, will be postponed to next week in advance of Helene.

The storm will first make landfall in Florida before moving inland towards Georgia and the Carolinas. AccuWeather meteorologists are predicting widespread heavy rainfall and flash flooding across the Carolinas and Georgia.

As for the Mets and Braves, the postponed games Wednesday and Thursday will be made up on Monday as a doubleheader in Atlanta

Flooding submerged cars and streets in Cancun on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula Wednesday afternoon after Hurricane Helene passed within 60 miles of the city, dropping 5 to 6 inches of rain. High winds also battered the coastal city and an island offshore, where a 69 mph wind gust was measured.

While Helene will make landfall as a major hurricane in Florida, other states are also preparing for the storm including Georgia, where Atlanta is bracing or flooding and high winds.

South Carolina is also a state that will be impacted. Earlier today, Governor Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency. While he says that South Carolina will luckily avoid the brunt of Helene, there is still a very real risk of flooding, high winds and isolated tornadoes.

AccuWeather meteorologists are predicting widespread heavy rainfall and flash flooding across the Carolinas and Georgia. "Helene is a very dangerous hurricane and could become a 'once-in-a-generation storm' across western South Carolina and North Carolina, as well as northern and eastern Georgia," said Dan DePodwin, AccuWeather Senior Director of Forecasting Operations.

Because of the elevated and rugged terrain, there's also the opportunity for landslides in the mountains.

AccuWeather's Leslie Hudson reported from Tampa General Hospital which is ramping up storm preparations. Tree and wind damage is expected to bring extensive power outages to Tampa when the storm arrives in earnest tomorrow.

In order to prepare, Hudson says, Tampa General is making use of aquafences to help mitigate damage around the perimeter as operations continue through Helene. "This is the forth year the hospital has used the aquafence," Hudson said. "It has worked very successfully for them... they were the first hospital in the country to use this aquafence."

Dustin Pasteur, VP of Facilities and Construction at Tampa General explained to Hudson that these fences are built to withstand up to 130 mph winds and are nine feet tall.

Last year with Idalia, Hudson says the area around the hospital got a storm surge of around 4-7 feet. Helene is expected to bring 5-8 feet of storm surge or higher, leaning to concerns about flooding.

One of Florida’s largest airports is preparing to close as Hurricane Helene approaches the state. Tampa International Airport announced it will suspend all operations for commercial and cargo flights starting at 2 a.m. EDT on Thursday. “The airport and its partners will use the time before the suspension to prepare the airfield and terminals, securing jet bridges, ground equipment, and any remaining aircraft before the storm arrives on Thursday,” the airport stated on its website.

The airport plans to reopen on Friday after assessing the damage from Helene, though an exact time has not yet been announced. Travelers with plans to fly into or out of any airport in the southeastern United States in the coming days should check their flight status, as the widespread impacts of Helene may cause ongoing delays and cancellations.

Atlanta will not be far enough inland to escape impacts from Helene as the storm moves north through Georgia.AccuWeather meteorologists say the worst conditions will arrive at 10 p.m. EDT Thursday and last through 11 a.m. Friday. Wind gusts will range from 50 to 70 mph, with 8 to 12 inches of rainfall causing flash flooding.

Regional power outages are expected and there is also a tornado risk. Flight cancellations will increase leading up to Friday and could have a ripple effect across the airline industry as Atlanta is one of the biggest travel hubs across the United States.

"The time to evacuate is now," Kevin Guthrie, Executive Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management said at a press conference with Florida Gov. DeSantis Wednesday afternoon. “If you are ordered to evacuate, please do so. The time to put your disaster plan into action is now. Make those final plans, make sure you’ve got stuff for the kids, pets, and seniors in your household.”

Tampa Bay Mayor Jane Castor told AccuWeather her top priority is making sure people know what’s coming and are prepared. “We as a municipality have prepared as we do every year, always hoping for the best but preparing for the worst.”

Pinellas County ordered a mandatory evacuation of long-term healthcare facilities, including nursing homes, assisted living centers and hospitals in zone A. The county sits on a peninsula surrounded by Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.

“We’ve changed this philosophy over the past few years, you know, you don’t have to go to another state, just go to higher ground, again, hiding from the wind and running from the water…As I alway say, you get in a confrontation with Mother Nature, Mother Nature wins 100% of the time so be prepared and heed the warnings,” Mayor Castor said.

Click here for the latest Florida evacuation orders, which include a list and a map.

At a press conference at TECO Energy in Tampa, which serves nearly a million customers in West Central Florida, Florida Gov. DeSantis urged people to prepare for extensive power outages. “It is anticipated that there is going to be power outages. So folks have an opportunity to plan for that. Now you still have time to make the preparations and put your plan in place today. But that time is running out. This storm, I think, as you know, is, basically in the area of Cuba and the Yucatan Peninsula. It’s it’s moving past that, and then it’s going to have pretty much a clear runway in the Gulf of Mexico.”

AccuWeather hurricane expert Dan DePodwin said Hurricane Helene will bring widespread inland wind damage that can cause power outages that last days to perhaps weeks, adding there is an increasing risk of significant power outages and flooding in the Atlanta metro area. “Helene is a very dangerous storm and may be a ‘once-in-a-generation storm’ for some across western South Carolina and North Carolina along with northern and eastern Georgia.”

It was a beautiful morning in Apalachicola, Florida, on Wednesday with a colorful sunrise and a calm ocean. But all of that will change in the next 36 hours as Helene bears down and makes landfall near the coastal city. “There is the potential for a lot of homes and a lot of businesses to flood here in Apalachicola,” AccuWeather National Reporter Bill Wadell said. “The town’s surrounded by water. You’ve got the river, creeks and the bay all flowing out to the Gulf of Mexico.” Watch Wadell’s full interview from Apalachicola below:

Hurricane Helene is growing and strengthening as it starts to track from the Caribbean sea to the Gulf of Mexico, becoming a Category 1 storm at 11 a.m. EDT Wednesday. It will continue to strengthen, likely to intensify into a Category 2 by Wednesday evening with maximum sustained winds of at least 96 mph. “It even has a shot to become a Category 4 hurricane before landfall,” AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva added. The hurricane is so large that it will have impacts far beyond where it makes landfall, including all of the Florida Peninsula.

The AccuWeather RealImpact™ Scale for Hurricanes has been increased to a 4 for Helene. The change from a 3 to a 4 was made due to the significant risk of catastrophic inland flooding, widespread power outage risk, and to amplify the message that Helene is an extremely dangerous storm. AccuWeather’s RealImpact Scale is a comprehensive scale that captures every aspect of a hurricane, including winds, flood potential, storm surge and economic damage & loss. In comparison, the Saffir-Simpson scale only accounts for maximum wind speed to determine the category of a storm.

Although Helene is not moving directly toward Central Florida, its outer bands will reach the region by Wednesday evening, bringing heavy rain and strong winds.

As Helene approaches landfall in Florida, Disney World said it will remain open. “We are closely monitoring the path of the storm as we continue to prioritize the safety of our Guests and Cast Members,” the park said in a statement. While the park will be open on Thursday, its miniature golf courses and the Typhoon Lagoon water park will be closed. The theme park resort also said its Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party was canceled for Thursday.

“We are closely monitoring the projected path of Hurricane Helene as we continue to prioritize the safety of our guests and cast members,” Disney said in a statement.

The park has a hurricane policy allowing visitors to reschedule or cancel.

“If a hurricane warning is issued by the National Hurricane Center for the Orlando area — or for your place of residence—within 7 days of your scheduled arrival date, you may reschedule or cancel your Walt Disney Travel Company Disney Resort hotel packages and most room-only reservations (booked directly with Disney) without any cancellation or change fees imposed by Disney. Most room-only and vacation packages can be modified, or canceled online, including changes to travel dates.”

This policy also applies to Disney’s Vero Beach Resort in the event a hurricane warning is issued for those destinations.

For more information on Walt Disney’s policy, click here.

Universal Orlando Resort said it will also remain open but the park is closely monitoring the weather.

For more information on Universal Orlando’s severe weather policy, click here.

SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay both offer a “Weather-or-Not Assurance” policy.

If extreme weather impacts their experience in the park or impacts their flight plans for an upcoming visit, SeaWorld invites them back within 12 months – at no extra charge for park admission.

Click here for more information on SeaWorld’s inclement weather policy. Click here for more information on Busch Garden’s policy.

Legoland Florida is open but also has a hurricane policy. For more information on Legoland Florida’s hurricane policy, click here.

Helene is forecast to become a major Category 3 hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico before making landfall in Florida. AccuWeather meteorologists predict that the eye of the storm will strike an area between Mexico Beach and Horseshoe Beach, Florida. This an area that has been hit by several hurricanes in recent years, including Category 5 Hurricane Michael in 2018 and Category 4 Hurricane Idalia in 2023. As Helene moves inland, the eye of the storm could approach or move directly over Tallahassee.

Wednesday will be the last day for residents in this region of Florida to prepare or evacuate ahead of Helene. According to The Associated Press, President Joe Biden has declared a state of emergency for Florida, which will provide federal resources to assist with last-minute preparations such as distributing food, water, and generators. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has also declared a state of emergency in anticipation of Helene’s impacts as it moves inland.

A satellite image of Tropical Storm Helene early Wednesday morning. (NOAA/GOES-EAST)

More than 3 million people in Florida and Georgia are currently under a hurricane warning as Helene is expected to make landfall as a dangerous hurricane along the Gulf Coast in less than 48 hours. The warning area extends from Tallahassee through Cedar Key, Florida, and reaches inland into parts of southern Georgia. Additionally, over 39 million residents, including those in Tampa, Miami, Orlando, and Jacksonville, Florida, are under a tropical storm warning.

Time is quickly running out for residents to either prepare for the storm or evacuate. Helene is expected to make landfall along the Florida Panhandle late on Thursday, but rain and wind will begin to affect Florida as early as Wednesday and continue to expand through Wednesday night. Furthermore, a dangerous and life-threatening storm surge is anticipated to escalate as Helene approaches. In some areas north of Tampa to Apalachicola, the water levels could rise higher than single-story buildings.

Drone footage of homes along the coast of Florida's Panhandle ahead of Helene. (AccuWeather/Bill Wadell)

On Tuesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis expanded a declared state of emergency to 61 of Florida's 67 counties with only a handful of counties in Southeast Florida excluded as Helene heads towards the southeastern United States.

Earlier, a state of emergency was declared in Florida for 41 counties.

"I think the fact that this would be forecasted as a major [hurricane] at this point without formation, shows that this has a potential to be a really, really significant storm," DeSantis said during a Tuesday news conference.

In South Florida, Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties are not on the list.

(iStock / Getty Images Plus)

Leon County School District (Leon Schools), which covers Florida's capital Tallahassee, announced that it would close schools early on Wednesday and also cancel school Thursday and Friday in advance of Helene's landfall.

"I'm not a 'close the schools' guy," Schools Superintendent Rocky Hanna said at a press conference on Tuesday. "I always want the schools open and I know the burden that puts on our parents."

The school closures come on the heels of Governor Ron DeSantis declaring a state of emergency in more than 60 counties due to the threat of Helene later this week. “Now is the time to make an emergency plan, know your evacuation zone, and be as prepared as possible for the storm,” DeSantis said on Monday afternoon.

On Wednesday, Leon Schools will be closing early to provide support as shelters. Other school districts including Franklin County schools will also be closed Wednesday through Friday.

The name "Helene" has been used for Atlantic tropical storms six times in the past, but none of those storms caused enough damage for the name to be retired. Most recently, Tropical Storm Helene 2012 made landfall in Central America and Mexico, but caused little damage. Tropical Storm Helene 2000 hit the western Florida Panhandle, causing heavy rain in Florida and the Carolinas.

The first so-named storm, Hurricane Helene 1958, came very close to landfall on the North Carolina coast at Category 4 strength, doing damage along the southeast coast. Wilmington, North Carolina set a new record wind speed of 135 mph, besting the reading from infamous Hurricane Hazel, that hit as a Category 4 storm just 40 miles southwest four years earlier. Helene then made landfall on Nova Scotia, Canada, becoming the worst storm to hit in 21 years

AccuWeather is providing extensive, on-the-ground coverage of Helene’s landfall with a dedicated team of expert meteorologists, reporters, and storm chasers strategically positioned across the Gulf Coast.

Our team is working around the clock to deliver real-time updates, in-depth analysis, and the latest storm developments. From the initial impact to the aftermath, AccuWeather’s comprehensive reporting ensures you stay informed and prepared during this critical weather event.

You can also tune into the AccuWeather Network and AccuWeather NOW for live coverage featuring hurricane experts and reports from the field. The AccuWeather Network is accessible via cable TV, while AccuWeather NOW offers comprehensive live streaming available on AccuWeather.com, Roku, Zumo, STIRR, LG, and Plex.

Drone footage of homes along the coast of Florida's Panhandle ahead of Helene. (AccuWeather/Bill Wadell)

Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued for parts of Franklin and Gulf Counties, near the area of Florida’s Panhandle where forecasters predict Helene will make landfall as a powerful hurricane. “Now is the time to make decisions regarding evacuation,” said the Franklin County Emergency Management. “If you choose to evacuate, please ensure you carry your driver’s license with you.”

The storm surge in these areas could reach nearly 10 feet, which is almost as tall as some single-story houses along the coast. “NOW is the time to check and replenish your disaster supply kits if you have not done so already,” advised Gulf County Emergency Management. Experts recommend gathering several days’ worth of food and water, as well as medications, important documents, cash, and extra clothing when preparing for the storm or ahead of evacuations.

Helene is forecast to make landfall as a major hurricane near Tallahassee, Florida, prompting city officials to act swiftly to ensure everyone is prepared. “We’re encouraging all our residents, now is the time to take care of business,” Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey told AccuWeather during an interview on Tuesday morning. “Secure your homes, secure all of your belongings, because once we get into the dangerous areas, we need everyone to stay at home or go somewhere safe.” Dailey also mentioned that they are expecting “significant power outages” due to the numerous trees in and around the city, but officials are already preparing for cleanup and power restoration efforts after Helene has passed. “Tallahassee will be prepared,” he added. Watch the full interview below:

Flooding is among the most destructive and deadly aspects of a hurricane, and Helene will pose a significant storm surge risk due to its size and power as it approaches landfall. “This can be a large hurricane with life-threatening impacts such as storm surge and flooding rain hundreds of miles away from where the storm makes landfall,” AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said. Storm surge between 1 and 3 feet is expected from the Florida Keys to Mobile, Alabama, but extensive coastal flooding is expected near and to the east of where Helene will make landfall.

Water will pile up in Tampa Bay, reaching 6 to 10 feet above normal tide levels, but the worst is expected farther north around Florida’s Big Bend. Storm surge levels may approach 15 feet along a 150-mile swath of the coast from near Apalachicola through Crystal River. A small area northeast of Apalachicola could experience even higher water levels, with surges reaching 15-20 feet—higher than most single-story buildings. Experts urge residents in this area to start preparing for the storm now and to heed local officials’ evacuation orders if issued.

This image of the western Caribbean Sea was captured on Tuesday morning, Sept. 24, 2024, shows showers and thunderstorms shortly before organizing into Tropical Storm Helene. (AccuWeather Enhanced RealVue™ Satellite)

A tropical rainstorm in the western Caribbean has strengthened into Tropical Storm Helene, the eighth storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season. The center of the storm is around 600 miles south of Tampa, but is expected to turn north, track through the gap between Cuba and Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and into the Gulf of Mexico, where it will quickly ramp up into a large hurricane.

Helene will take a similar path to Hurricane Debby, which made landfall in the Big Bend area of Florida on Aug. 5 as a Category 1 hurricane. However, Helene is forecast to be significantly larger and more powerful than Debby, making it a more dangerous storm. “A long week is on the way here with significant impacts at the coast and well inland,” AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said.

A tropical rainstorm in the western Caribbean is on the verge of intensifying into a major storm, posing a significant risk to the United States. “The more I look at this scenario for this tropical rainstorm, the more and more concerned I’m getting,” AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva said. The rainstorm is expected to rapidly develop into a hurricane as it moves into the Gulf of Mexico. As a result, hurricane watches have been issued for counties along and near Florida’s west coast, from Tallahassee to just north of Tampa. More than 8 million people in Florida live in the areas currently under hurricane watches.

Once the rainstorm organizes and strengthens into a tropical storm, it will be given a name, with Helene the next name on the list. To become a tropical storm, it needs to have a well-defined center of circulation and maximum sustained winds between 39 mph and 73 mph. AccuWeather is forecasting the storm to become a major Category 3 hurricane while tracking across the Gulf of Mexico with winds of at least 111 mph before making landfall in Florida on Thursday.

“Southeast Louisiana is recovering from the effects of Hurricane Francine right now, but in Louisiana we always have to keep an eye on the Gulf,” Scott Adams told AccuWeather in an interview on Monday. Adams is the Special Assistant to the Director of Louisiana’s Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. “We’re urging residents to be ready and to have a plan for emergencies,” he emphasized.

Although AccuWeather is currently forecasting the center of the impending hurricane to make landfall in the Florida Panhandle, Louisiana may still experience impacts from the storm. Adams encourages residents to visit GetAGamePlan.org to access emergency information and prepare for events such as hurricanes. Now is the time to prepare for the storm by purchasing food, water, and supplies, filling sandbags, and gathering medications and important documents in case an evacuation is ordered.

On Monday afternoon, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in 41 of the state’s 67 counties due to the threat of a landfalling hurricane later this week. “Now is the time to make an emergency plan, know your evacuation zone, and be as prepared as possible for the storm,” DeSantis said on Monday afternoon. This emergency declaration unlocks additional resources to help residents prepare and allows for improved coordination between local governments and emergency agencies. Experts recommend people have a disaster plan in place and a seven day supply of food and water for everyone in their household, including pets.

The hurricane is projected to follow a similar path to Hurricane Idalia, which made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend last year as a Category 4 storm, and Hurricane Debby, which struck the same area of the state as a Category 1 storm in August.

The Florida Panhandle is on alert for a growing hurricane threat, with the potential for a major hurricane to make landfall on the region later this week. “It’s a beautiful morning out here at the beach, no signs that there’s trouble out in the tropics bringing some serious impacts here in just a few days,” AccuWeather National Reporter Bill Wadell said while reporting live from Panama City Beach, Florida, on Monday morning. “We haven’t seen much as far as any storm preparedness today, but that is expected to change in the next 24 hours.”

Watch Wadell’s full report from Florida below:

The Hurricane Hunters take off to investigate the tropical rainstorm over the western Caribbean on Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (U.S. Air Force)

All eyes are on the tropics this week with a hurricane predicted to make landfall in the United States on Thursday, and the Hurricane Hunters are preparing for an up-close look at the strengthening tropical system. Since the tropical rainstorm is in its infancy, the Hurricane Hunters flew a mission on Monday to determine if it had a closed center of circulation, which is essential for classifying it as a tropical depression, tropical storm, or hurricane. The data collected during the flight will also aid forecasters with future forecasts. Once the rainstorm has a defined center and sustained winds of at least 39 mph, it will be most likely named Tropical Storm Helene. 

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From the eye to storm surge: The anatomy of a hurricane

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Hurricane safety: Explaining rapid intensification and how to prepare