Hurricane Helene accelerates toward Florida’s Big Bend threatening ‘unsurvivable’ storm surge: Live
Hurricane Helene could bring ‘unprecedented damage’ to Florida with sustained winds up to 135mph and 20ft storm surge
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Florida is bracing for “unsurvivable” storm surge from Hurricane Helene, which is expected to strengthen into a Category 4 storm before making landfall later on Thursday.
In the afternoon, Helene was accelerating toward Florida’s Big Bend, bringing tropical storm conditions across most of the state’s western coast.
Just over a month after Storm Debby hurtled into the Sunshine State, Hurricane Helene now threatens to become the strongest storm to hit the US in over a year.
Hurricane Helene, currently a Category 3 storm, has maximum sustained winds of 120mph as of Thursday afternoon. Florida officials are warning residents to brace for life-threatening rain, floods and storm surge. All parts of Florida are under a hurricane or tropical storm warning.
Its size is also massive compared to previous hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico. Local forecasters estimate the storm stretches 822 miles in width, and 114 in length. Hurricane warnings extend roughly 90 miles above the Georgia-Florida line.
According to The Associated Press, Helene is forecast to be one of the largest storms in breadth to hit the region in years, with only three bigger since 1988.
Mapped: Charting Hurricane Helene’s path as Florida braces for landfall
Hurricane Helene threatens ‘unsurvivable’ storm surge and damage, forecasters say
Watch live: Category 2 Hurricane Helene set to make landfall in Florida
Disney cruise stuck at sea while Hurricane Helene ripped through the Cayman Islands
Photos show Tampa’s Florida High Patrol close the Sunshine Skyway Bridge
The Florida Highway Patrol in Tampa said it was closing the Sunshine Skyway Bridge Thursday afternoon, as conditions in the area are continuing to devolve.
“As weather conditions continue to deteriorate & wind gusts have reached 60 MPH, FHP is closing the #Skyway,” the patrol wrote on X.
“Motorists are requested to seek alternate routes, do not drive through flooded roads & unless absolutely necessary stay off area roadways.”
Live: Hurricane Helene moves up Florida coast hitting Tampa
Live video shows impacts from Hurricane Helene as it moves up the Florida coast, hitting Tampa.
Satellite imagery shows lightning surrounding Hurricane Helene’s eyewall
Storm surge and winds were increasing along the Florida west coast at 3 p.m. EDT on Thursday.
A station at the entrance to Tampa Bay measure a sustained wind speed of 50mph and a gust of 62mph.
As Helene moved closer to the US Gulf Coast, NOAA satellite imagery captured lightning around the storm’s eyewall.
Hurricane Helene could make landfall as a powerful Category 4 storm, forecasters say
AccuWeather forecasters say Hurricane Helene will hit as a powerful Category 4 storm late Thursday night.
The weather forecasting company said it could bring maximum sustained winds of 131 to 155mph
“A surge of water from the Gulf of Mexico could reach 23 feet in the hardest-hit coastal areas of the Big Bend of Florida. This is two stories high and unsurvivable for people in the area,” warned AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter. “The life-threatening storm surge risk extends down through Tampa Bay where six to 10 feet of water inundation is possible.”
The greatest risk of water surge is expected along and near the coast and conditions are expected to be extremely dangerous after nightfall.
Destructive winds are expected to reach far inland, with catastrophic flash flooding hundreds of miles away from where Helene makes landfall.
“We are forecasting Helene to make landfall as a destructive Category 4 Hurricane in the Apalachicola area between Mexico Beach and Horseshoe Beach,” said Bernie Rayno.
National Guard arrives in Treasure Island
The City of Treasure Island said that the National Guard had arrived in the area on Thursday afternoon.
“The National Guard has now arrived to help get the message out for people to take this last call to evacuate seriously. City emergency officials are briefing them now,” the city said on Facebook. “They will stay in the area to help with rescue operations if needed.”
Hurricane Helene is a ‘dangerous’ Category 3 storm
The National Hurricane Center said its Air Force hurricane hunters have found Helene to be a “dangerous” major hurricane on Thursday afternoon.
The system has strengthened into a Category 3 storm, with maximum sustained winds increasing to 120mph.
The National Weather Service in Miami said Hurricane Helene has made its closest passage to South Florida.
Now, it’s is lifting further north in the eastern Gulf of Mexico.
“Expect a few more hours of strong wind gusts, intermittent downpours, as well as hazardous coastal and marine conditions,” the agency said.
Additional strengthening is expected before Helene makes landfall in the Florida Big Bend.
Helene is nearly a major hurricane
Helene was nearly a major hurricane on Thursday afternoon, as Floridians raced to prepare for the storm.
The Category 2 storm is expected to rapidly strengthen before making landfall on Florida’s northwestern coast Thursday evening.
Florida Republican Gov Ron Desantis said on X that Helene would make landfall in Big Bend, but that dangerous conditions were expected throughout the Sunshine state and “even outside the forecast cone.”
“To stay safe from hazards like debris, downed power lines, and standing water, do not try to do any work in the dark tonight. State and local emergency management officials are ready to assist seniors and others in need of help clearing debris after the storm passes,” he wrote.
Helene’s maximum sustained winds have increased to near 110mph, with higher gusts. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles from the hurricane’s center.
Tornado warnings were issued through Georgia, South Carolina, and in northern Florida, as the system swirled fewer than 200 miles southwest of Tampa.
Tampa’s airport was closed, as well as those in Tallahassee and Clearwater.
School districts and multiple universities had canceled classes.
With reporting from The Associated Press
Visitors brave Key West storm surge to take photos
Visitors are braving Key West’s incoming storm surge and high surf to take photos ahead of Hurricane Helene on Thursday.
Photos from the Environmental Protection Agency showed one man holding tightly onto his baseball cap as choppy ocean waters nearly surrounded him.
A live cam captured people as they posed for the ‘Southernmost Point’ buoy.
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell warns Florida residents to take storm threats seriously
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell is warning residents in Gulf Coast states to take action ahead of a storm that is expected to bring unsurvivable storm surge and flooding.
Speaking at the White House press briefing, she pleaded with Americans to take these threat seriously.
“We’re already seeing impacts in Florida, and the forecast indicates that we could see up to 20 feet of storm surge,” Criswell said.
That’s more than the peak storm surge of Hurricane Ian, which brought 14 feet. And, 150 people lost their lives in that storm, with the majority of deaths from drowning.
“Water is the number one reason that we see people lose their lives in these storms. So, please don’t underestimate what the impacts could possibly be,” Criswell said.
Residents in affected areas, like Florida’s Big Bend, can still take action. They may only need to travel inland by 10 to 15 miles.
As the storm moves north, however, life-threatening flash flooding is expected.
“The entire state of Florida is under some type of warning right now,” Criswell said, “whether that’s a hurricane warning or a tropical storm warning.”
Criswell will travel to affected areas tomorrow to assess the damage, and there are 11,000 personnel across the federal government supporting the preparedness efforts for the storm. She said she had briefed the president.
“We have been preparing for this storm for a number of days and we began moving resources into Florida on Monday.”
Nearly 50K Florida customers without power as Helene approaches
More than 49,700 customers were left without power Thursday afternoon hours before Hurricane Helene was expected to make landfall, according to online outage tracker PowerOutage.US.
Utility Florida Power & Light wrote on the social media platform X that it had been working to restore power.
“Our crews have been out restoring power to customers affected by Helene,” it said. “Significant flooding and dangerous storm surges are expected. Crews will continue to restore power to customers as long as it is safe to do so.”
Florida Power & Light provides energy to more than 12 million in the state. Its website warned over “longer than normal restoration times following the storm.”
And Duke Energy, a company headquartered in the Carolinas, said its crews were stationed there and in Florida.
Video shared by Duke Energy showed rows of response vehicles.
“18,000+ lineworkers and support workers are ready to assess damage and restore power as soon as it’s safe to do so,” it said.
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