Hurricane Helene makes landfall in Florida as catastrophic Category 4 storm: Live
Hurricane Helene will bring ‘unprecedented damage’ to Florida with sustained winds up to 140mph
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Hurricane Helene made landfall just after 11pm ET and Florida is now bracing for an “unsurvivable” flooding surge from the Category 4 storm.
Helene first struck Florida’s Big Bend region, bringing tropical storm conditions across most of the state’s western coast. Florida, Alabama, and parts of the Carolinas are at risk of flooding.
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.
Helene had maximum sustained winds of 140mph as of Thursday night. Florida officials are warning residents to brace for life-threatening rain and prepare to shelter in place. 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.
Helene strengthens as it moves toward land
The National Hurricane Center has said Helene has become slightly stronger as its eye approaches the Florida coast’s Big Bend area.
Coastal waters are rising along the west coast of Florida as storm conditions spread northward, the agency at 9pm.
Over 1,000 people sheltering in place in Florida county
In Leon County, Florida, 1,652 individuals and 234 pets are sheltering in place at county facilities.
More than 600,000 people without power in Florida
That is according to poweroutage.us, an entity that tracks power outages across the country.
Water is seen splashing over Tampa’s Howard Frankland Bridge as a car whizzes across
More than 40 million under hurricane, tropical storm warnings
37,464,260 people are under tropical storm warnings and 2,852,691 people are under hurricane warnings, according to the National Weather Service.
Walt Disney World cancels experiences in response to Hurricane Helene
Florida’s Walt Disney World cancelled some experiences in response to Hurricane Helene.
Its Typhoon Lagoon water park was temporarily closed and Beachcomber Shack and Typhoon Lagoon Umbrella rentals were cancelled.
A Halloween-themed even, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, was cancelled. Guests would be refunded for that event.
Mini golf courses at Fantasia Garden and Fairways and Winter Summerland were also temporarily closed.
Photos show surfers take to the beach as Hurricane Helene bears down on Florida
Surfers took to the beach in Panama City ahead of Hurricane Helene on Thursday afternoon.
Hurricane becomes cat 4 storm
The National Hurricane center announced Helene had become a category 4 storm shortly after 6.20pm.
The agency described the storm as “extremely dangerous,” with maximum sustained winds increasing to 130 mph.
Florida sheriff says residents who won’t evacuate could die
In an interview with ABC News, Taylor County Sheriff Wayne Padgett says residents who are refusing to evacuate low-lying areas by the coastline, about 200 people, could very well die.
“That’s a death threat because you’re looking at, they’re calling for 18- or 20-foot storm surge,” he told the outlet.
“We’ve never had a storm surge like this in this county. These old houses, some of them on this coast, have been there for years and years and years, and they’re just not going to stand up to it. The water — you can kind of hide from the wind — but you can’t hide from that water.”
Vice President urging Florida residents to take storm 'seriously’
As of 5 pm ET, Helene had sustained winds of 125 mph. Forecasters warned Helene would likely strengthen into a Category 4 storm before it makes landfall tonight in Florida’s Big Bend.
Kamala Harris has said, “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.
“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.”
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