Hurricane Central
By Tim Harris and Jan Wesner Childs
less than an hour ago
At a Glance
- Mandatory evacuation orders are in place for over two dozen counties in Florida.
- Hurricane Helene is now a Category 2 storm and is expected to further strengthen.
- Officials are urging residents to prepare for potentially extended power outages.
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Florida is bracing for significant impacts as Hurricane Helene approaches the coast, currently as a Category 2 hurricane. Mandatory evacuations are in effect across the state affecting more than two dozen counties. Even neighboring states have issued warnings as this large storm is expected to push far inland. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency for the entirety of Georgia as did Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin for his state. Residents across the Southeast should prepare for continued severe weather impacts even after landfall.
Yesterday, the Southeast prepared for Helene. Click here to see our coverage from yesterday.
The storm is getting closer and the remaining time to evacuate is waning. Here’s the latest:
(MORE: Hurricane Tracker Maps | Latest Forecast)
(10:35 a.m. ET) Flooding ‘Only Just Beginning’ In St. Petersburg
The St. Pete Police Department shared multiple videos of flooding in St. Petersburg, Florida. “And we're only just beginning to get the effects of the storm,” the department added.
(10:20 a.m. ET) Roads Flooded In Collier County, Florida
The Collier County Sheriff’s Office announced that multiple roads are closed, some flooded.
-In the Bayshore Drive area: Hamilton Avenue, Danford Street, Becca Avenue, Shoreview Drive and Weeks Avenue are impassable.
-Estey Avenue is flooded at Holiday Lane.
-Brookside Drive is flooded.
-Gulf Harbor Drive is flooded.
-Goodland Drive is flooded.
(10:00 a.m. ET) Shelter-Bound Buses Will Stop Running Once Unsafe
The Florida Division of Emergency Management advised that residents needing assistance evacuating to a shelter are running out of time. Buses are currently running but will cease to do so when it becomes unsafe. “There's expected to be life-threatening storm surge along the coast along with strong winds,” the agency wrote on X. “Don't wait to evacuate!”
(9:30 a.m. ET) Flooding In Treasure Island, Florida
The city of Treasure Island, Florida, shared video to X showing flooding in the Sunset Beach neighborhood as Helene continued its trek through the gulf toward Florida.
(9:00 a.m. ET) Flooding In Sarasota, Florida
Video posted to X shows flooding occurring in downtown Sarasota, Florida, ahead of Helene’s arrival. At 7:00 a.m., Sarasota County Emergency Management Chief Sandra Tapfumaneyi urged residents, “To evacuate now before Hurricane Helene impacts begin in the next few hours.”
(8:15 a.m. ET) ‘It Kind Of Makes Us Have Just A Pit In Our Stomach’
Grace Daffin and her mother Desiree Baggett who run a salon and boutique in Marianna, Florida, are no strangers to hurricanes. Speaking with Weather.com’s Joy Kigin, they say they vividly remember Hurricane Michael’s devastation in 2018 which severely impacted their business.
“We're all In this mindset of it's going to be another Michael. So it kind of makes us have just a pit in our stomach,” Baggett said. They’ve taken steps to protect their salon and boutique, “Making sure that we had everything kind of secure outside.”
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Baggett says she and her husband also run a local farm which was devastated by Michael in 2018. They are only just recouping their losses and now face a rush to harvest over 3 square miles of peanuts. “But there's no way possible, we'll be able to,” Baggett said. “Our guys are working from sunup to sundown…trying to get as much as they can.”
Michael left the town without power for weeks according to Daffin, forcing residents to rely on each other for mutual aid. “Our house was like the hub where everybody came and took showers. We cooked for everybody,” Daffin recalled.
As Helene approaches, they are bracing for a similar situation.
(7: 45 a.m. ET) Hurricane Helene Now A Category 2 Storm
The National Hurricane Center issued a new advisory on Helen indicating that the storm has now strengthened into a Category 2 storm. Further intensification is expected. “Preparations should be rushed to completion,” the center said.
(7:15 a.m. ET) Hurricane Hunter ‘Miss Piggy’ Plane Heads To Helene
Early this morning, Director of NOAA's National Weather Service Ken Graham posted photos to X indicating that NOAA43, a Lockheed WP-3D Orion nicknamed “Miss Piggy,” was taking off and heading into Helene. Data from website FlightAware showed the plane roughly midway through its planned flight at 7:15 a.m. Click here for video of Helene's eye taken by the Hurricane Hunters yesterday.
(6:50 a.m. ET) Flooding May Bring More Alligator, Snake Sightings
The Florida Fish and Wildlife commission warned that, in flooded areas, one may observe alligators or snakes more frequently than normal. “Keep them at a distance & give them space” the agency wrote on X.
(MORE: Resident Finds Gator Lurking In Floodwaters)
(6:45 a.m. ET) 911 May Not Be Available Once Storm Hits
In a strongly worded storm advisory, the National Weather Service in Tallahassee reminded residents that 911 services may not be available right away if conditions are unsafe. “This should be a big factor in your decision making,” on sheltering or evacuating, the agency said. “Failure to adequately shelter may result in serious injury or loss of life.”
(6:30 a.m. ET) Linemen Stationed In Florida
As Helene is expected to cause power outages in multiple states, — extended outages in the hardest-hit areas — groups of linemen have been stationed in various regions to respond after the storm.
(6:15 a.m. ET) Helene Studied By Advanced Technology
A specialized system developed by the University of Florida known as "Sentinel" will gather advanced data as Helene bears down on Florida. "Data and video will be shared with a broad spectrum of research, operational, and commercial partners as well as interests supporting local response and recovery, such as state departments of environmental protection or natural resources," the Florida Climate Institute said.
(6:00 a.m. ET) Alabama DOT Opens Evacuation Routes
The Alabama Department of Transportation announced they’re opening the state’s evacuation routes as neighboring Florida issues evacuation orders in some counties. At least a dozen roadways are designated for evacuation. “In order to accommodate evacuation traffic, ALDOT has ordered a halt to non-emergency lane restrictions or lane closures on all state, U.S. and interstate highways,” the agency said.
(5:30 a.m. ET) What Are Hurricane Categories?
We talk a lot about hurricane categories, but what exactly do they mean? Here’s a breakdown of the Saffir-Simpson Scale, which rates hurricanes based on wind speed:
-Category 1: Very dangerous winds will produce some damage and could cause death and injury.
-Category 2: Extremely dangerous winds will cause extensive damage and substantial risk of injury or death.
-Category 3: Devastating damage will occur, with high risk of injury or death.
-Category 4: Catastrophic damage will occur, including very high risk that people will be killed.
You can read more here about hurricane categories.