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What you need to know about potential Hurricane Helene:
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Tropical Storm Helene is expected to become Hurricane Helene on Wednesday, with Sarasota and Manatee counties just outside the storm’s cone of uncertainty.
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Sarasota and Manatee County are under a Hurricane Watch, Tropical Storm Watch and a Storm Surge Warning. A Flood Warning has also been issued for the area beginning at 8 p.m. Wednesday and ending at 8 a.m. Friday.
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The National Weather Service is predicting storm surge of 4 to 7 feet (1.2 to 2.1 meters) off Sarasota County and 5 to 8 feet (1.5 to 2.4 meters) off Manatee County, and about 3 to 6 inches (7.5 to 15 centimeters) of rain, with locally higher precipitation.
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Sarasota County has closed schools from Wednesday through Friday. Manatee County has closed schools on Wednesday and Thursday.
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Manatee and Sarasota have ordered evacuations. View the latest Sarasota County evacuation orders or Manatee County evacuation orders.
Below are the latest updates on the storm and its impacts in Sarasota and Manatee counties. (Or read yesterday’s Live Helene blog to catch up.)
04:00 AM Update from the National Hurricane Center on Tropical Storm Helene
Tropical Storm Helene strengthened overnight, with maximum sustained winds now reaching 65 mph. Tropical storm force winds are reaching 175 miles from the storm’s center.
The storm is expected to rapidly strengthen and grow in size throughout the morning, and will develop into Hurricane Helene later this morning, reaching the Gulf of Mexico.
Sarasota and Manatee counties could be impacted by Hurricane Helene tonight, with tropical storm force winds and heavy rain expected throughout the night and into Thursday morning.
According to the National Weather Service forecast, Sarasota and Manatee counties can expect 3 to 6 inches of rain, with some areas seeing as much as 10 inches; storm surge of 4 to 6 feet in coastal Sarasota County, 5 to 8 feet in coastal Manatee County; and a few tornadoes possible.
Evacuations in Manatee County due to Tropical Storm Helene
Manatee County has issued an evacuation notice for residents living in Level A flood zones beginning at 10 a.m. Wednesday morning in preparation for Tropical Storm Helene.
Evacuation Level A includes all of Anna Maria Island and the Manatee portion of Longboat Key, as well as coastal areas on the mainland. The evacuation also applies to all low-lying and flood-prone areas, as well as all mobile and manufactured homes. Residents living in Evacuation Level B are asked to pay attention to storm surge forecasts and voluntarily evacuate if prudent.
Residents can visit mymanatee.org/storm for information on evacuation levels and shelters. Shelters have not yet opened.
Evacuations in Sarasota County due to Tropical Storm Helene
Sarasota County has issued an evacuation order for Level A areas, as well as manufactured communities and the areas of Forked Creek in Englewood, Curry Creek and Hatchett Creek in Venice.
Evacuation centers in Sarasota County will open at noon on Wednesday, September 25.
Community members can determine their evacuation level and locate the nearest evacuation center at scgov.net.
This article originally appeared on the Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Hurricane Helene impacts Sarasota Bradenton prepares for flood closures
