The storm, which is barreling toward Florida’s Gulf Coast, is now expected to become a catastrophic Category 4 hurricane, one of the strongest storms to hit the U.S. this year, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Much of Hurricane Helene’s increasing strength comes from the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, which have reached record high temperatures in recent years. In general, the ocean waters around Florida have also experienced rising temperatures in recent years, making the state more susceptible to catastrophic storms.
Hurricane Helene is expected to hit the Florida coast late Thursday night or early Friday morning, the center said in its latest advisory. Ahead of its arrival, storm surge flooding had already hit some cities and communities such as Fort Myers Beach, where water levels were already 2 feet above normal.
By Thursday morning, the storm’s maximum sustained winds were near 100 mph (155 km/h) with higher gusts. Hurricane-force winds are reaching as far as 60 miles (95 km) from the storm’s center. Further strengthening is forecast before the storm makes landfall.
Life-threatening storm surges are expected along the coast, with some parts of the Florida Panhandle reaching up to 20 feet (6 meters) high.
Much of the state is in a state of emergency. Although the storm is expected to weaken once it makes landfall, it is moving quickly and could spread out as far as 400 miles.
“Catastrophic and deadly storm surge is likely along portions of Florida’s Big Bend coast, where flooding could reach 20 feet above ground level, along with devastating waves,” the National Weather Service warned Wednesday night. “Preparations to protect lives and property should be completed early Thursday morning before tropical storm conditions develop.”
The hurricane is expected to hit the southeast coast once it makes landfall, from Florida to North Carolina. Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina have been declared under states of emergency. At least 50 million people are under hurricane and tropical storm warnings. School districts along the Gulf Coast of Florida and in Georgia, including Atlanta, will be closed Thursday in anticipation of the hurricane’s arrival.
Joe Biden declared a state of emergency on Tuesday and ordered federal aid to Florida. Mandatory evacuations in the state began earlier this week.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned state residents of the damage expected from the storm.
“It’s not a question of whether we’re going to see impacts, it’s a question of how big those impacts are going to be,” DeSantis said.
Officials in Tallahassee, the state capital, said the storm could be the worst in the city’s history.
“If our community remains at the center of Helene’s path, as predicted, we will see unprecedented damage unlike anything we have ever experienced as a community,” Tallahassee Mayor John Dalley said at a news conference Wednesday.
On Thursday morning, the National Weather Service reported that the storm’s impact will depend on the route it takes. Possible impacts include widespread power outages, damage to infrastructure, including power lines, blocked roads and damage to buildings.
“Power outages are likely to last for days, if not weeks, near the hurricane’s landfall,” the National Weather Service said Thursday.
The hurricane is the fourth hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. this year. This is the second major hurricane to hit the state this year. In August, Hurricane Debby, a Category 1 storm, caused power outages and flooding in the northwestern part of the state.
The storm’s impact will be felt far from the Gulf Coast.
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper warned of the heavy rains it would likely bring as it moved inland. “This is an unusually dangerous storm that threatens to bring heavy rains and potentially catastrophic flooding to central and particularly western North Carolina tonight and tomorrow,” Cooper said.
He added that major cities in the state, such as Charlotte and Asheville, could experience flash flooding despite not being directly in Helene’s forecast path. Asheville had already received more than 7.5 inches of rain as of Wednesday evening, and only needed another 2 inches to become a once-in-a-1,000-year rain event for the area, according to the Southeast Regional Climate Center.
Meanwhile, Atlanta, Georgia, has issued a rare flood warning: level four on a scale of four for a high risk of flooding and rainfall.
