Millions are without power in Florida as authorities warn residents to take shelter in the strongest part of their homes as Hurricane Helene is set to hit.
As of the latest update, nearly 700,000 households are experiencing an outage, according to reports from local electric providers.
Outages are increasing amid ongoing efforts to restore power following widespread disruptions.
TAMPA—With more than 1,000 first responders ready to enter areas impacted by Hurricane Helene, Florida’s State Fire Marshal and Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis said that he is concerned about the people in the landfall vicinity who ignored evacuation orders.
“In the case like St George Island, I think they've identified 70 people that refuse to leave, and this is going to be one of the hardest hit places, and unfortunately, that stubbornness is going to lead to some number of loss of life,” he told The Epoch Times.
“It's going to be unfortunate.”
TAMPA—Hurricane Helene is maintaining its Category 4 status as it closes in on Florida’s Big Bend region, bringing catastrophic storm surge and life-threatening winds.
The National Hurricane Center said “It seems likely that Helene will be at or very near Category 4 strength when it makes landfall.”
As of 8 p.m. ET, Helene still had maximum sustained winds of 130 mph. Its center was tagged just 80 miles west-southwest of Cedar Key and 115 miles south of Tallahassee.
TAMPA—Hurricane Helene is now a Category 4 Hurricane.
The National Hurricane Center announced, "A NOAA hurricane hunter aircraft currently investigating Helene recently found that the maximum sustained winds have increased to 130 mph.”
At this time, the storm’s center is 120 miles west of Tampa, and 165 miles south of Tallahassee. It is pushing toward the Big Bend region of Florida’s Panhandle at 23 mph.
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris addressed the impending impacts of Hurricane Helene on Sept. 26.
“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,” said Harris.
"I've directed FEMA to work with the state partners to take proactive measures to ensure the communities in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina and other states have to support the resources they need,” Biden said.
TAMPA—Hurricane Helene is getting even stronger as it closes in on the Florida Panhandle.
The National Hurricane Center announced Helene had sustained winds of 125 mph 175 miles south of Tallahassee and 130 miles west of Tampa, as of 5 p.m. ET on Sept. 26. Hurricane-force winds were recorded 60 miles out from its center and Tropical storm force winds extend out 310 miles.
A Category 4 hurricane has winds of at least 130 mph.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp addressed residents and members of the press in preparation for Hurricane Helene’s arrival as all 159 counties are under a state of emergency.
As of 1:30 p.m. ET, the governor said the storm will hit South Georgia as early as sunset tonight through sunrise tomorrow morning. Middle Georgia will be hit roughly between 10 p.m. tonight and 10 a.m. tomorrow, and then North Georgia will start to be affected around midnight through noon.
Hurricane-force winds and wind gusts of 80–100 mph are expected, and the risk of tornadoes forming is also a concern.
North Carolina’s Gov. Roy Cooper addressed residents on Sept. 26 as his administration also prepares to brace for Hurricane Helene.
"This is an unusually dangerous storm that threatens to bring heavy rain and potentially catastrophic flooding tonight and tomorrow for Central and particularly Western North Carolina," he said. "When tropical weather crosses into our mountains, it can be deadly."
Tropical storm conditions could also appear in Charlotte, he added.
Hurricane Helene, a Category 4 storm, is projected to slam Florida’s northwestern coast on the evening of Sept. 26. It is also forecast to bring heavy rains across much of the southern United States over the coming weekend.
A map from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) on Sept. 26 shows Hurricane Helene hitting the Florida Panhandle, with the state’s capital Tallahassee being at or near the center of the storm’s forecasted path. The storm is expected to strengthen further before making landfall, according to the NHC.
The National Weather Service (NWS) warned on social media that a “catastrophic and deadly storm surge is likely along portions of the Florida Big Bend coast, where inundation could reach as high as 20 feet above ground level, along with destructive waves.”
TAMPA—Hurricane Helene is now a major hurricane looking to make landfall in Florida’s Big Bend Thursday evening, according to The National Hurricane Center. Afterward, its center is expected to be within the Atlanta-Marietta metro area by 8 a.m. Sept. 27.
“The Air Force Hurricane Hunters found that the maximum sustained winds have increased to near-120 mph,” the National Hurricane Center stated in a special update released at 2:25 p.m. ET, making it a Category 3 Hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale.
Maximum sustained winds were only just recorded at 110 mph as of 2 p.m. ET on Sept. 26.