Hurricane Helene live updates: reaches category 4, track, weather forecast and affected areas
Hurricane Helene: Live Updates
Hurricane Helene live tracker
Hurricane Helene is expected to make landfall on Thursday. The storm is currently a Category 2 Hurricane as it barrels toward Florida's Big Bend coastline.
Although the storm is expected to slam Florida, southern and midwestern states may also need to brace themselves for significant rainfall and the potential for flooding.
Watch the live tracker to monitor the development of this powerful weather system.
Early flooding in Florida
Helene is set to make landfall in Florida’s Big Bend area as a Category 4 hurricane Thursday night.
The storm is forecast to quickly reach maximum sustained winds of 130 to 156 mph while it passes the Gulf of Mexico before hitting land.
How storm surge caused by Helene could look like
Helene is located 255 miles southwest of Tampa, Florida, and is heading north-northeast at a speed of 14 mph. It has maximum sustained winds of 105 mph.
Heavy rain is already battering parts of Florida and the Southeast, causing flash floods and prompting tornado warnings. The National Hurricane Center forecasts what it calls an “unsurvivable storm surge” of up to 20 feet for Florida’s Big Bend.
This is a visual demonstration of what such a catastrophic storm surge looks like.
Hurricane Helene dwarfs Beryl
Hurricane Beryl, a destructive Category 4 storm, packed maximum sustained winds of 150 mph. It whipped islands in the Caribbean in July this year and killed seven people.
Some parts of Grenada reported 90% of homes and buildings either destroyed or severely damaged. The hurricane also affected the Yucatán Peninsula and the Gulf Coast of the United States.
Helene is larger than Beryl and still hasn’t reached full strength.
12 million at risk of heavy rains
As the country prepares for the arrival of Hurricane Helene, the National Weather Service warns over 12 million people face the risk of excessive rainfall today and tonight.
Perilous flash flooding is likely from the Florida Panhandle into much of Georgia and could hit parts of the Southeast and southern Appalachians.
Extended power outages possible
Hurricane Helene has not even made landfall yet but it has already caused problems for passengers traveling to and from Florida. Over 1,000 U.S. flights have been cancelled, nearly half of which were at Tampa International Airport.
The monster storm can also cause extended power outages in Florida, Georgia, and North and South Carolina.
Georgia officials update their timeline on Hurricane Helene's path
Georgians will begin feeling the effects of Hurricane Helene on Thursday afternoon. The storm is very large, and though it will make landfall in Florida, the storm will quickly move north into Georgia, bringing heavy rain and wind. Disaster and emergency response officials encourage residents to assemble storm kits with food, water, and medicine to last three days. Flooding could lead to road closures, which explains why multiple days worth of supplies should be kept onhand.
NWS provides update on Hurricane Helene's path and impact
Florida's Big Bend coast is facing a major threat from Hurricane Helene, which is being upgraded to a Category 2 hurricane as it approaches. The storm surge along this portion of the Florida coast could rise 20 feet, prompting evacuations. Residents should ensure they can receive emergency alerts from officials and leave if they are ordered to do so.
In addition to the threat of storm surge, the NWS warns of "catastrophic hurricane-force winds" as the storm lands along the Big Bend coastline. Residents in north Florida and Georgia could also see dangerously high winds.
The areas that could see 15-20 inches of rain before Friday
After making landfall, Hurricane Helene will move north, bringing many residents heavy wind and rain. The National Weather Service (NWS) continues to update their forecasts and is warning those living in Blue Ridge Escarpment in South Carolina that they could see more than a foot, and in some cases, two feet of rain over the coming days. In such a short period, this amount of rain is extremely dangerous as floods become impossible to avoid, treating people, animals, and structures in the affected area.
Officials are warning residents to consider evacuating or, at minimum, developing a plan in case they are ordered to leave the area before roads make such escapes impossible.
The NWS expects "catastrophic flash-flooding along numerous streams" in the mountains of North and South Carolina and northeast Georgia. Landslides will also be possible as moisture disrupts the structure and stability of the affected area.
Georgia to see heavy rain as Hurricane Helene moves towards the coast
Officials in Georgia are warning residents that heavy rains are likely across the state over the coming hours as Hurricane Helene moves closer to the coast. As preparation draws to a close, the state advises households to stay up-to-date on weather warnings and create a plan in case they are asked to evacuate.
Once the rain begins, avoid driving at all costs, as roads might be flooded, and your vehicle could become trapped. Additionally, it can be very challenging to gauge how fast water is moving, and you could easily be pulled into the current if you misjudge the risk.
Stay safe, and ensure you are able to receive weather updates from local, state, and federal agencies as the storm progresses.
Hurricane Helene has reached category 2 status, and is forecast to increase in intensity.
Hurricanes are classified into different categories based on their wind speeds and potential for damage. The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale is commonly used to categorize these storms from Category 1 to Category 5, with Category 1 being the least severe and Category 5 the most severe.
Here’s a breakdown of the categories and the damage they can wreak.
Watch out for tornadoes
While southeastern parts of the country brace themselves for the onslaught of Hurricane Helene which is expected to bring perilous storm surge and torrential rain, the National Weather Service also warns there is a heightened risk of tornadoes forming in affected areas.
The agency advises residents in parts of northern Florida into southeast Georgia, the Midlands and Low Country of South Carolina, and southern North Carolina, to take shelter as soon as they receive a tornado warning.
Hurricane Helene continues to intensify rapidly
Helene has intensified into a Category 2 hurricane. The storm is expected to further gain significant strength before making landfall in Florida.
Residents along the Northeastern Gulf Coast are again warned of catastrophic winds and life-threatening storm surge and are urged to complete preparations to protect life and property from the effects of the storm.
Helene’s forecast cone
A hurricane’s so-called “forecast cone” represents the probable path of the storm’s center. Cones are created to show the track with as much as a 300-mile “cone of uncertainty”, but they do not show the size of the storm.
The National Hurricane Center reminds residents that hazardous conditions can take place outside of the cone, particularly because of the increasing size of Helene.
Hurricane Helene is barreling towards Florida and could make landfall as a Category 3 storm later this afternoon into Friday. Storm surge is expected to rise as high as twenty feet in some areas, and officials have issued evacuation orders for those where the tide could rise to life-threatening levels.
Read our full coverage for details on which counties are under the most severe warnings.
Alabama EMA provides update on how Hurricane Helene could impact the state
In Alabama, authorities are warning residents that tropical storm conditions could be seen in the state starting on Thursday afternoon as Helene approaches the Gulf Coast. However, the most severe impacts of the storm are not likely to be felt in Alabama as the hurricane is expected to make landfall in Florida.
Authorities warn that residents should expect "widespread showers and thunderstorms" that will move from east to west across the state on Thursday. Though the storm is projected to move towards Florida, Alabama officials are warning residents to be prepared in case of a sudden change in its trajectory. On Wednesday, storm trackers noticed that the hurricane's cone, the area where it is projected to make landfall, "shifted a tad westward." With a landfall error of 70 miles based on the storm's position on Wednesday evening, a further shift west "would increase impacts to the eastern half of the state."
Emergency preperations must be finished in the coming hours
As dawn breaks across Florida, officials are warning that 61 of the state's 67 counties are under an emergency declaration and warnings residents living in the path of the storm to evacuate.
Any emergency preparations should be wrapping up in the next few hours as the storm is expected to begin moving through the area as the eye moves closer to the land. By late Thursday, residents can expect to see high winds and heavy rain.
Florida Emergency relief agency offers support to residents looking to evacuate
On Wednesday, the Florida Division of Emergency Management said that it has partnered with Uber to help those looking to evacuate to a shelter make it there. Applying the discount code "HELENERELIEF" will reduce your Uber bill by $35. However, with prices likely to surge during this period, this may not be enough to cover the cost of the trip.
Why will Hurricane Helene make landfall in the US?
Making these sorts of predictions is a challenge as the storm can develop and evolve as it sits in the Gulf of Mexico, gathering intensity. The National Weather Service has issued Hurricane Warnings across Florida, informing residents across the state's coastal regions to prepare for high winds and rain on Thursday afternoon, going into Friday morning as Helene makes landfall. Storm surges are expected to rise to very dangerous levels in some parts of the state, and residents of those areas remain under an evaluation order.
Storm surge warnings in Florida could not be more severe
Officials in Florida are warning residents to evacuate areas where the storm surge is expected to reach life-threatening levels. Residents of other low-lying areas that could see a sudden rise in the tide are also being encouraged to take the necessary precautions to protect themselves and their property.
The National Weather Service has issued aStorm Surge Warningcovering "Mexico Beach eastward and southward to Flamingo, Tampa Bay, and Charlotte Harbor." The agency issues these types of warnings when "there is a danger of life-threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline, during the next 36 hours in the indicated locations."
Hurricane Helene is forecast to power up as it crosses the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday before slamming into the Big Bend area of Florida, potentially as a Category 4 hurricane. Coming ashore will begin to weaken the storm but it will continue to pack hurricane force winds well into Georgia.
The storm has led school districts and universities in the path of the storm to cancel in-person classes as travel to educational sites may become dangerous.Read our full coverage for all affected districts and institutions.
Gov. DeSantis gives update on Hurricane Helene, “These effects are coming”
“You have time to implement your plan so that you are prepared,” Governor Ron DeSantis said at the beginning of his press conference to update residents of the impending hurricane barreling toward Florida. He said that residents that are in areas where evacuation orders have been implemented can begin executing their plans.
He warned that Hurricane Helene is forecast to be a major hurricane when it comes ashore, expected sometime in the afternoon or evening on Thursday, with some models predicting a Category 4.
The monster storm will bring high winds over 200 miles from its center. As much as 12 inches of rain are forecast and 10 to 15 feet of storm surge in the worst affected areas. “These effects are coming,” DeSantis warned.
“It’s not a matter of whether we’re going to get effects, it’s just a question of how significant those effects will be.”
Hurricane Ian shows potential Helene impact
More footage, this time from a 15 foot surge from Category 4 Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers gives more of an idea of what Helene could bring.
As research scientist Dr Hemmati says this could potentially see storm surges of between 10 and 20 feet across various parts of Florida.
Stark Helene warning from Senator Rick Scott
"Listen to law enforcement and EVACUATE."
That was the clear message from Florida Senator Rick Scott overnight.
"You can’t survive storm surge. 20ft is unimaginable and will KILL YOU. If law enforcement is advising you to get out, listen to them."
Tallahassee mayor "bracing" for Hurricane Helene
Tallahassee Mayor John Daly spoke to NBC News as the city prepares for Hurricane Helene, calling it the "largest, most intense hurricane in the city's history."
Daly stated that Tallahassee is bracing for impact, prepared for the worst, and that personnel are ready to respond after the storm. Listen for yourself.
Hello and welcome to AS USA's live blog covering Hurricane Helene. The storm is expected to make landfall in Florida today and bring life-threatening conditions along the Gulf of Mexico. Residents should heed warnings from emergency management officials, and we will attempt to supplement that advice with news on the storm as it moves onto land.