(NewsNation) — Hurricane Helene was upgraded to a Category 4 storm ahead of its expected landfall in the evening as a major hurricane, threatening Florida’s coast and southern Georgia with the potential for “unsurvivable” storm surges.
The National Hurricane Center warned Thursday morning that “preparations should be rushed to completion” as Helene strengthens and barrels toward Florida’s Big Bend region. A “catastrophic and deadly” storm surge bringing hurricane-force winds as well as life-threatening flash and urban flooding is likely, according to the National Weather Service.
Vice President Kamala Harris urged people in the path of Hurricane Helene “to take this storm very seriously.”
“So, the president and I, of course, are monitoring the case and the situation closely, and we urge everyone who is watching at this very moment to take this storm very seriously, and please follow the guidance of your local officials,” Harris said. “And President Biden and I, of course, will continue to work closely with state and local officials to ensure that everyone is safe, and to protect communities before, during, and after the storm.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Helene is expected to make landfall along Florida’s Big Bend at about 11 p.m. ET. DeSantis emphasized the storm’s strength during a news conference Thursday morning.
“It is moving fast,” DeSantis said. “More rainfall is, of course, expected and it could lead to significant storm surge in our coastal areas.”
Models Thursday were nudging the center of the storm farther east, DeSantis said. Storm surges and rising water are also expected along the state’s west coast.
“To the extent it is tracking east and mirroring more of an Idalia track rather than a direct hit on Tallahassee, that is going to impact the extent of the damage,” he said. “This area has not had a major hurricane hit in quite some time and certainly, no one in recent memory has seen a storm of this magnitude that has hit.
What to expect from Hurricane Helene
Helene is expected to cause heavy rainfall, flash flooding and a life-threatening storm surge of up to 20 feet in some areas.
The NHC predicted the winds could reach 130 mph before landfall, which would make it a Category 4 storm. As of Thursday afternoon, Helene sustained winds of 105 mph and was 355 miles southwest of Tampa.
“All of these things combined make this a very serious storm,” Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez told NewsNation. “The time to prepare is now … later on today, it might be a little too late.”
Could the Fujiwhara effect influence Helene’s path?
What safety, emergency measures are in place for Hurricane Helene?
After making landfall in Florida’s Big Bend area in the northwest part of the state, forecasters expect Helene to turn northwestward and slow down over the Tennessee Valley on Friday and Saturday.
More than 20 counties were under voluntary or mandatory evacuation orders as of Thursday morning, and DeSantis declared a state of emergency for most of Florida. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster did the same, as wind damage is forecast to extend far beyond the storm’s center and inland across the southeastern U.S.
“There is a danger of catastrophic and unsurvivable storm surge for Apalachee Bay … this forecast, if realized, is a nightmare surge scenario for Apalachee Bay,” the National Weather Service in Tallahassee said, pleading with residents to “please, please, please take any evacuation orders seriously.”
Anyone in northern Florida who needs to seek alternative shelter should act now, DeSantis said.
“Every minute that goes by brings us closer to having conditions that are simply too dangerous to navigate,” DeSantis said.
Tampa International Airport, St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport and Tallahassee International Airport are closed along with the Skyway Bridge over Tampa Bay. Four NFL stadiums have been designated as extreme weather shelters: New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium; Lumen Field in Washington, Acrisure Stadium in Pennsylvania and Florida’s Raymond James Stadium.
More than 60,000 people are currently without power in Florida.
One man named Jay lives on his sailboat and said that’s where he plans to weather the hurricane.
“Anything that happens was meant to be,” Jay told NewsNation’s Ryan Bass. “It’s all preordained. I believe God has got our back. He looks out for all of us. He loves us all. If I wind up on land and my boat winds up crushed, then that just means I wasn’t meant to be on it.”
How could Hurricane Helene affect other regions in Florida?
The storm surge causes normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The destructive Hurricane Ian in 2022 had storm surge levels of 10-15 feet above ground level. Helene, meanwhile, could produce a storm surge of 15-20 feet in some areas.
The NHC warns of prolonged power outages lasting days to weeks, damage to trees and powerlines and inaccessible roads. Tornadoes are also possible.
DeSantis reminded residents to use generators properly and make sure they stay outside their homes, as using them indoors could lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. He also encouraged locals to look into the pet-friendly shelters required in each county.
Florida A&M University in Tallahassee postponed its upcoming college football game against Alabama A&M, while NASA and SpaceX rescheduled a planned astronaut launch.
Other states will feel the effects from Helene, with forecasters saying impacts could possibly be felt all the way to Tennessee. Record-breaking flooding is forecasted for Asheville, North Carolina. Gov. Roy Cooper said Helene could have deadly impacts throughout the state.