Hurricane Helene makes landfall in Florida as catastrophic Category 4 storm: Live

The charity’s staff is setting up to deliver sandwiches to communities in Florida impacted by the storm on Friday.

Water seen flowing onto water in Howard Frankland Bridge.

The bridge is now closed at the state is advising motorists to stay off the highways.

Governor Jim Justice issued a state of preparedness on Thursday for 22 West Virginia counties. 

They are: Boone, Braxton, Cabell, Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Putnam, Raleigh, Randolph, Summers, Wayne, Webster and Wyoming.

Officials in the rural Taylor County, along Florida’s Big Bend region, are telling their residents to write identifying information on their bodies in permanent marker before the storm hits.

“If you or someone you know chose not to evacuate, PLEASE write your, Name, birthday and important information on your arm or leg in A PERMANENT MARKER so that you can be identified and family notified,” the office wrote on Facebook.

The sheriff’s office asked residents to email them other vital information, including the location of their home and the number of people and animals who live there.

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Hurricane Helene is accelerating toward Florida’s Big Bend, where it is expected to make landfall later this evening.

The category 3 storm is bringing tropical storm conditions across most of the state’s western coast.

Winds at the entrance to Tampa Bay have been picking up, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Storm surge and winds were increasing along the Florida west coast at 3 p.m. EDT on Thursday.

A station at the entrance to Tampa Bay measure a sustained wind speed of 50mph and a gust of 62mph.

As Helene moved closer to the US Gulf Coast, NOAA satellite imagery captured lightning around the storm’s eyewall.

The City of Treasure Island said that the National Guard had arrived in the area on Thursday afternoon.

“The National Guard has now arrived to help get the message out for people to take this last call to evacuate seriously. City emergency officials are briefing them now,” the city said on Facebook. “They will stay in the area to help with rescue operations if needed.”

The National Hurricane Center said its Air Force hurricane hunters have found Helene to be a “dangerous” major hurricane on Thursday afternoon.

The system has strengthened into a Category 3 storm, with maximum sustained winds increasing to 120mph.

The National Weather Service in Miami said Hurricane Helene has made its closest passage to South Florida.

Now, it’s is lifting further north in the eastern Gulf of Mexico.

“Expect a few more hours of strong wind gusts, intermittent downpours, as well as hazardous coastal and marine conditions,” the agency said.

Additional strengthening is expected before Helene makes landfall in the Florida Big Bend.

Helene was nearly a major hurricane on Thursday afternoon, as Floridians raced to prepare for the storm.

The Category 2 storm is expected to rapidly strengthen before making landfall on Florida’s northwestern coast Thursday evening.

Florida Republican Gov Ron Desantis said on X that Helene would make landfall in Big Bend, but that dangerous conditions were expected throughout the Sunshine state and “even outside the forecast cone.”

“To stay safe from hazards like debris, downed power lines, and standing water, do not try to do any work in the dark tonight. State and local emergency management officials are ready to assist seniors and others in need of help clearing debris after the storm passes,” he wrote.

Helene’s maximum sustained winds have increased to near 110mph, with higher gusts. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles from the hurricane’s center.

Tornado warnings were issued through Georgia, South Carolina, and in northern Florida, as the system swirled fewer than 200 miles southwest of Tampa.

Tampa’s airport was closed, as well as those in Tallahassee and Clearwater.

School districts and multiple universities had canceled classes.

With reporting from The Associated Press