Hurricane Helene Strengthens To Category 4 As Northern Florida Braces For Impact

As Floridians in the state’s Big Bend braced Thursday evening for the arrival Hurricane Helene, the storm strengthened to a category 4 major hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center.

In the run-up to landfall, the National Hurricane Center stated in a 7:06 p.m. eastern time update: “Sustained tropical-storm-force winds are being reported along the west coast of Florida, with wind gusts near hurricane-force. Tropical storm conditions are approaching the coastline of Florida’s Big Bend.”

The New York Times notes that Helene is packing sustained maximum wind speeds of 130 mph as it heads toward the shore, and is bringing with it a “two-story-high wall of water.”

The National Hurricane Center predicts storm surge of between 10 and 20 feet in parts of the Big Bend “if peak surge occurs at high tide,” with the areas on either side seeing anything from 3 to 12 feet.

The Skyway Bridge and the Howard Frankland Bridge are both CLOSED due to high winds and storm surge. Motorists should stay off the highways. #Helene pic.twitter.com/OAM2aMUPEP

— FHP Tampa (@FHPTampa) September 26, 2024

According to the National Weather Center, 110+ mph winds will be experienced in parts of the Big Bend, including in Tallahassee, with winds between 58 mph and 74 mph as far north as Atlanta, Georgia, and as far east as Charleston, South Carolina.

Water beginning to come over walls off the beach in Indian Shores. Also, as the sheriff said earlier…someone is gonna “win a stupid prize…” #HurricaneHelene pic.twitter.com/jLISw266dt

— Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office (@SheriffPinellas) September 26, 2024

Helene is the ninth named storm of the 2024 hurricane season, and the fourth to hit the Gulf Coast. The storm is sizable, with The Weather Channel noting that hurricane warnings are “in effect from Florida’s Big Bend and Nature Coast into middle Georgia, including from Tallahassee to Albany and Macon.”

Hurricane #Helene has rapidly intensified into a Category 4 storm.

Worse case scenario with several more hours left for additional strengthening. pic.twitter.com/2LHhP510Ce

— Colin McCarthy (@US_Stormwatch) September 26, 2024

In a Thursday press conference, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned residents to be prepared.

“We can’t control how strong this hurricane’s going to get. We can’t control the track of the hurricane, but what you can control is what you can do to put yourself in the best chance to be able to ride this out in a way that’s going to be safe.”