Live updates: Hurricane Helene barrels toward Florida | CNN Live Updates Hurricane Helene strengthening on track to Florida and Southeast Meteorologist breaks down the latest Hurricane Helene forecast 01:49 - Source: CNN • Helene closes in on Gulf Coast: Hurricane Helene continues to intensify as it tracks north toward the Florida Panhandle. The eye — around which are the most dangerous and life-threatening conditions — is expected to make landfall this evening. You can track Helene’s path with CNN’s storm tracker. • A sprawling storm: Helene is one of the largest storms in the Gulf of Mexico in the last century, with a wind field that could span roughly the distance between Indianapolis and Washington, DC. Its huge size will result in higher storm surge and dangerous winds that stretch well inland. Widespread power outages are likely across the Southeast. • “Unsurvivable” storm surge: Storm surge — how high the water rises above normal levels — could climb to 20 feet along Florida’s Big Bend. The National Weather Service is warning of “unsurvivable” storm surge in Apalachee Bay. • Widespread impact: Helene has already prompted school and business closures, as well as flight cancellations. Officials warn that catastrophic wind damage from the storm could cause power outages that will “likely last days, if not weeks.” • In the path of Hurricane Helene? Bookmark CNN’s lite site for fast connectivity. Sigue nuestra cobertura en vivo del huracán en español. We are on the coast in Apalachicola, Florida, awaiting Helene’s arrival, and we’re also keeping an eye on the sky: There’s a risk of waterspouts as this storm approaches, which could be locally devastating to some parts of the coast if they come ashore. Dark, ominous clouds hang low on the horizon Tuesday afternoon, overlooking the Apalachicola River with the Gulf of Mexico in the distance. Water is rising in Apalachicola, Florida 00:29 - Source: CNN Helene is a massive hurricane. Its strong winds span hundreds of miles while clouds and storms fed by its moisture stretch even farther. Satellite imagery shows how the bulk of Helene is taking up the entire eastern half of the Gulf of Mexico. Its rain bands are bringing heavy rain and strong winds to the Florida Peninsula. Farther north, the hurricane’s moisture is fueling storms across the Southeast and into the mid-Atlantic. It’s also influencing storminess in the western Caribbean. Helene’s winds have increased to 110 mph – a strong Category 2 hurricane, according to the 2 p.m. update from the National Hurricane Center. Helene is now just 1 mph away from becoming a Category 3 major hurricane. “Preparations should be rushed to completion,” the NHC warned in the update. The hurricane will strengthen further as it continues to track over extremely warm water in the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to be a major hurricane – Category 3 or stronger – at landfall Thursday evening. Helene is just under 200 miles southwest of Tampa, Florida, moving north-northeast at 16 mph – slightly faster than it was a few hours ago. Hurricane Helene is forecasted to directly hit Tallahassee, Florida — bringing the force of what is expected to be one of the largest storms in the Gulf of Mexico in the last century down on the city. Local officials are trying to prepare for the damage they know is coming, Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey said on X. The city has “tripled the workforce for electric utility” ahead of the storm. Crews will respond to power outages and downed trees until it is no longer safe, the City of Tallahassee said on X. “Folks, it’s going to be a marathon, not a sprint. We’re expecting significant damage,” Dailey said in a video on social media. Florida State Univeristy, which is located in Tallahassee, said students who live on campus will shelter in place in a university conference center, which was “upgraded to withstand extreme conditions.” Some of those upgrades include hurricane shutters and emergency generators, the university said in a statement. The storm has been strengthening and will make landfall along the Big Bend of Florida tonight as a major hurricane, Category 3 or higher. If that happens, that will be the strongest storm in Tallahassee’s history, Dailey said. Helene is expected to create wind speeds that could reach 110 mph and 6 to 9 inches of rain in the city. Record-breaking flooding is in the forecast for the Asheville, North Carolina, area in what meteorologists at the National Weather Service are calling “one of the most significant weather events to happen in the … modern era” in this region. The ground around Asheville is already soaked with more than 7.5 inches of rain since Wednesday evening. What Helene is about to bring will tip this area way over the edge; as much as 20 inches of rain is possible between what fell yesterday and the hurricane. Meteorologists are comparing the forecast to the 1916 floods in Asheville. We’re seeing it again and again today: Forecasters and officials are using the strongest language possible to convey how dangerous Hurricane Helene will be. Communities in the Big Bend region of northwestern Florida are preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Helene Thursday evening, as it continues to pick up strength, and a leading rain system is already filling roadways with water. “A lot of our streets in Apalachicola and on the island are underwater,” Franklin County Sheriff A.J. “Tony” Smith told CNN Thursday afternoon. The community is under an evacuation order, and Smith said there’s nothing to be gained by staying behind. Further inland, the state capital is under threat. “We’re expecting a direct hit,” Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey said in a Facebook message to residents. United States weather radars can now see Helene’s eye – its rain-free center – as the hurricane tracks closer to the Florida coast. A Tampa area weather radar first picked up Helene’s eye in the early afternoon. The center of the hurricane is located just under 200 miles away from the radar, so – because of the curvature of Earth – it’s only able to capture high levels of the system. The radar beam here is looking at the center more than 20,000 feet above ground level. But hurricanes are massive: Their clouds and storms can reach tens of thousands of feet in the air. Hurricane Helene is already lashing Florida as it continues to intensify and track north toward Florida’s Big Bend. Thousands of Florida residents have already been forced to evacuate and nearly the entire state is under alerts. Here are some images from today as the storm continues its approach. See more photos here. President Joe Biden was briefed by Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Deanne Criswell on Thursday as Hurricane Helene is intensifying and expected to make landfall this evening. “This is going to be a multi-state event with potential for significant impacts from Florida all the way to Tennessee,” Criswell warned during an appearance at the White House press briefing. Biden has approved disaster declarations for Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. “Please take this threat from storm surge seriously,” Criswell said, encouraging those in the affected area to “move out of harm’s way” and not to “underestimate what the impacts could possibly be.” NASA gave people on Earth a bird’s-eye view of Hurricane Helene as it tracks toward the Florida Panhandle on Thursday. Cameras on the International Space Station captured a view of the storm from 260 miles above. NASA hosted a livestream as the station orbited above the hurricane. The cameras showed the eye of the storm against the limb of Earth, or where the edge of the atmosphere is visible. The space station could be seen in the foreground of the camera. On the livestream, NASA said the station was moving at about 5 miles per second and only stayed over the storm for a few minutes. Helene is expected to make landfall in Florida Thursday night. The entirety of the Blue Ridge Parkway is closed in North Carolina, the National Park Service said Thursday, in anticipation of severe weather from Hurricane Helene. It will remain closed “until the storm passes, and staff can safely assess the park and clear any storm damage,” the park service said. The Blue Ridge Parkway is a popular scenic route spanning more than 400 miles along the Appalachian Mountains. It passes through several states in addition to North Carolina, including Virginia and Tennessee. Helene is forecast to grow into one of the largest storms in the Gulf of Mexico in the last century. The storm is forecast to make landfall in the Florida Panhandle before moving through Georgia and into East Tennessee and parts of North Carolina over the weekend. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper warned residents earlier today that the storm would be “unusually dangerous” for western and central parts of the state. A number of other national parks in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina have also announced closures due to Helene. You can find all of the latest alerts, restrictions and closures from the National Park Service here. The risk of life-threatening flooding is expanding over the Southeast as Helene nears. Atlanta is now firmly in the center of the rarest risk levels issued: a level 4 of 4 high risk of flooding rainfall. Earlier this morning, two separate rare level 4 of 4 risks of flooding rainfall were outlooked by the Weather Prediction Center. That extremely hazardous risk area expanded to connect the two in an afternoon forecast update. Now, the rare high risk area extends from the Florida Panhandle, through many major population centers in Georgia and into the mountains of western North Carolina. The combination of Wednesday’s soaking rainfall, Helene’s impending deluge and its powerful winds could bring down trees in soaked soils, down power lines and overwhelm drainage systems, the WPC warned. Federal officials are warning that Hurricane Helene could mess with energy facilities as it barrels into the Southeast. The storm has the “potential for significant disruptions to energy infrastructure,” the US Energy Information Administration said in a post on Thursday. Already, more than a quarter (29%) of US oil production in the Gulf of Mexico has been paused due to Hurricane Helene, according to the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. An additional 17% of natural gas production has been sidelined. The EIA noted that high wind, flooding and storm surge could affect power plants and power transmission and distribution lines in the region. However, Hurricane Helene appears poised to spare Gulf Coast refineries. These facilities — which churn out gasoline, diesel and jet fuel for much of the country — lie mostly to the west of the storm’s track. That’s why Andy Lipow, president of consulting firm Lipow Oil Associates, said in an email he does not expect gasoline or diesel prices to be impacted in a significant way. However, Lipow did caution that that power outages and flooding could potentially shut down pipeline pumping stations and terminal operations in the region. That, in turn, could reduce supplies of gasoline, diesel and juet fuel to the mid-Atlantic region through Washington, DC, and Baltimore. St. Petersburg Emergency Manager Amber Boulding told residents that “it’s time to start talking about sheltering in place” as Hurricane Helene tracks closer to Tampa Bay, with storm surge already beginning to impact the city. “Winds are starting to pick up, and we have started to see some flooding in low lying areas around the city,” St. Petersburg Mayor Kenneth Welch said at a briefing Thursday. Storm surge will continue to rise throughout the day and stay high throughout the night and into Friday, Boulding said. Flooding has already prompted the closure of Shore Acres and Snell Isle, according to the mayor. He warned of an “unprecedented” storm surge and overall impact to the city, saying there could be up to 5 to 8 feet of surge. “This is going to be different than any storm we’ve seen here before,” the mayor said. The City of Tampa is doing their best to keep the community safe ahead of Hurricane Helene but its mayor is urging people to understand their level of responsibility, too, she said in a Thursday news conference. Flooding has already begun Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said. “Do not be fooled” by the sunshine. Hurricane Helene’s sprawling strong winds sent water levels up about 2 feet above normal along Florida’s west coast this morning. The increase coincided with the morning’s high tide for many areas. This combination sent water into parts of Fort Myers Beach that should normally be dry. Flooding in the area could get more severe later today as Helene closes in on Florida. Up to 5 feet of storm surge is possible, especially if Helene’s strongest winds align with the next high tide this evening. Torrential rainfall being enhanced by tropical moisture from Helene has deluged the Asheville, North Carolina area since Wednesday night. More than 7.5 inches of rain has fallen since last evening. If another 2 inches or so falls by Thursday evening, it’ll be a 1-in-1000-year rain event for the area, according to the Southeast Regional Climate Center. Helene is expected to dump more than a foot of rain in the western North Carolina mountains through this weekend, with much of that coming through Friday afternoon. The overwhelming amount of rain has sent water levels on area waterways skyrocketing. The Swannanoa River near Asheville’s Biltmore Village is expected to reach major flood stage Thursday night and crest at a record level sometime Friday morning. Multiple other rivers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee are forecast to hit major flood stage in the coming days. Parts of Florida already underwater as Helene approaches 00:39 - Source: CNN The impacts of Hurricane Helene are already evident along parts of the Florida coast, where some streets have flooded in beachfront communities. Hurricane Helene is already disrupting flight operations at some major airports in the southeast, most notably Tampa International Airport. There were roughly 1,020 cancellations across the United States as of 11 a.m. ET on Thursday — more than triple the daily average for the 2023 calendar year, and well above the 30-day high, according to FlightAware. Sarasota-Bradenton International and Southwest Florida International are among the other airports seeing significant cancellations. Typically, airlines hope that by canceling flights ahead of the storm, they won’t leave passengers stranded at airports and can recover their schedules more quickly. Southwest Airlines appears to be taking the biggest blow of any major airline so far. CNN’s Ross Levitt contributed to this report. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper warned that Hurricane Helene could have a dangerous and deadly impact in parts of the state. Cooper noted that when tropical weather crosses into the state’s mountainous areas, it can be deadly. He recalled the deadly and devastating impact of Tropical Storm Fred in 2021, and said Helene could have a similar impact. He added that the storm is expected to bring more than a foot of rain to parts of western North Carolina, which will “likely cause significant flash flooding, landslides, damaging debris flows, slope failures across steep terrain and river flooding. Even areas that typically don’t experience it, may see flooding.” He said that cities like Charlotte and Asheville could see flash flooding despite not being directly in the storm’s path. The governor said that as of this morning there were about 14,000 power outages reported statewide. Cooper said that he has activated 175 members of North Carolina’s National Guard in preparation for the storm. Hillsborough County, which includes Tampa, will keep its offices and facilities closed on Friday, which will allow county employees to focus on the Hurricane Helene response. Three fire stations have evacuated, and a Hillsborough County Fire Rescue fire boat has been taken out of service temporarily, Fire Chief Jason Dougherty said. “Our fire department is not immune to the impacts of this storm … this will not affect our response times, but it serves as a reminder – if we are leaving the evacuation zone, so should you,” Dougherty said. Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister assured residents rescue crews will be ready to help. “There won’t be a scenario where we can’t come get you,” Chronister said, adding that the department has two amphibious vehicles and a marine unit. “But please, what I’m asking is, don’t put these first responders at risk because you make an improper and poor decision,” Chronister added. Hurricane Helene continues to intensify Thursday morning and now has maximum sustained winds of 105 mph with higher gusts, according to the National Hurricane Center. Its winds are now just 6 mph away from Category 3 major hurricane status. Helene is centered 255 miles southwest of Tampa and is moving to the north-northeast at 14 mph — slightly faster than earlier this morning. Helene is expected to pick up more forward speed and strengthen further today while on a collision course with the Florida coastline. Helene will likely be the strongest storm to slam the US in more than a year. A new tornado watch due to Hurricane Helene has been issued by the Storm Prediction Center for nearly 3.8 million people in Florida and Georgia until 10 p.m. Thursday. The watch spans parts of northern Florida, including Jacksonville and Tallahassee, and southern Georgia including Valdosta and Albany. Conditions will become “increasingly favorable for tornadoes” as Helene’s rain bands track north through the area throughout the day, the SPC said. “These conditions will result in a long-duration risk for tornadoes across northern Florida and southern Georgia.” More than 24 million people across South Carolina, Georgia and Florida are now under tornado watches due to the hurricane. Southwest Airlines is taking the biggest blow from Hurricane Helene of any major airline, according to tracking information from FlightAware. The flight tracking site says the airline — which operates the most Florida flights of any carrier — has canceled at least 200 flights on Thursday, making up roughly one in five of all cancellations in the United States as of 10:30 a.m. ET. Southwest told CNN that its service at Tampa International Airport and Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport could resume as early as Friday morning. The airline has waived change fees for flights to, from or through airports as far south as Miami, and as far north as Charlotte and Nashville. Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission posted a warning to residents on X ahead of Helene, urging them to be cautious of “alligators and snakes.” Florida is facing a serious flood threat from Helene both from the sea and from the sky that could inundate vast areas of the state, especially at the coast. Wildlife officials made sure to note that residents should “Keep them at a distance & give them space!” Helene will push the Gulf of Mexico onshore, drowning the coast with up to 20 feet of storm surge. And several inches of rain will also fall, increasing the risk for freshwater flooding. United Airlines says it is stopping flights to four Florida airports Thursday due to Hurricane Helene. The airline says in a statement it is halting operations at Tampa International Airport, Fort Myers’ Southwest Florida International Airport, Key West International Airport and Sarasota Bradenton International Airport. The airline is also waiving change fees for passengers flying to, from or through 25 airports in the US, Mexico and Cuba through at least Friday. The full list of airports is here. The latest change to United’s operation: “using larger aircraft the next several days to fly more customers out of Havana, Cuba.” Hurricane Helene’s forecast track through Tallahassee keeps shifting, something that will have huge implications for how severely the storm will impact the area, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned. The city has never been directly hit by a Category 3 or stronger hurricane, something that is currently forecast to happen with Helene. The latest update from the National Hurricane Center shifted the track slightly east, putting some of the hurricane’s strongest winds, which are on the east side of the storm, just outside of city limits. “In terms of Tallahassee, every model run that nudges it east, if that’s the track it takes, that will mean less damage,” the governor said. But any shifts west could mean more destruction in town. The city will still take a serious blow regardless, and Tallahassee, Tampa, and St. Pete-Clearwater International airports are now closed, according to DeSantis, who noted they would likely reopen Friday. Additionally, 80 healthcare facilities throughout the state have reported various levels of evacuations, including hospitals, assisted living facilities, and nursing homes, the governor said. Leon County Administrator Vincent Long said that residents should be prepared for “thousands of trees down and literally hundreds of roads blocked and prolonged power outages,” as Hurricane Helene tracks north toward the Florida Panhandle. He added that with just hours to go before the storm hit, he advises residents who have not sought shelter to do so. And for those living in manufactured or mobile, Long noted, there is a mandatory evacuation for those residents. For residents who decide to remain in there homes, Long said they should make sure that the home is “buttoned up” as much as possible and people should be cautious of surrounding trees. Pinellas County residents are being warned of a noon cutoff if they need to seek shelter, St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch told CNN’s John Berman Thursday morning. Bottom line: Don’t be outside if you don’t have to and do your best to stay out of the way of officials working to restore services for the community after the storm, Welch said because “at some point we will not be able to send help.” Below is a select list of cities in the path of Hurricane Helene. These are general forecasts to give people an idea of when stormy conditions could start, when they might end, and how bad it could get in between. Tampa Storm duration: Through Friday 1 a.m. ET Peak wind: 50 to 65 mph, likely between 2 p.m. and 10 p.m. ET Thursday Rainfall: 1 to 3 inches Storm surge: 5 to 8 feet of surge, peaking around high tide Thursday night (8 p.m. to 2 a.m. ET) Apalachicola, Florida Storm duration: Thursday 1 p.m. to Friday 6 a.m. ET Peak wind: 100 to 120 mph between Thursday 7 p.m. and 12 a.m. ET Rainfall: 10 to 12 inches Storm surge: 10 to 15 feet of surge, peaking at landfall, Thursday between 8 p.m. and 12 a.m. ET Tallahassee, Florida Storm duration: Thursday 7 p.m. to Friday 4 a.m. ET Peak wind: 90 to 110 mph between Thursday 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. ET Rainfall: 6 to 9 inches Steinhatchee, Florida Storm duration: Thursday 1 p.m. to Friday 6 a.m. ET Peak winds: 90 to 110 mph from Thursday 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. ET Rainfall: 3 to 5 inches Storm surge: 15 to 20 feet of surge, peaking around landfall, Thursday 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. ET Macon, Georgia Storm duration: Thursday 9 p.m. to Friday 12 p.m. ET Peak wind: 65 to 80 mph Friday 2 a.m. to 7 a.m. ET Rainfall: 4 to 8 inches Atlanta Storm duration: Thursday 10 p.m. to Friday 2 p.m. ET Peak wind: 50 to 75 mph, Friday 4 a.m. to 9 a.m. ET. Stronger winds are expected on the east side compared to the west side of the city. Rainfall: 5 to 8 inches Helene’s wind field – how far its winds reach from the center – is reaching its maximum forecast range. Even though the center of Helene is located more than 300 miles southwest of Tampa, tropical storm-force wind gusts are blowing along parts of the state’s coast from the Keys to the Tampa Bay area. The hurricane’s tropical storm-force winds now span roughly 480 miles, measured from the northwestern part of the storm, through the center and to its southeast extent. If Helene’s wind field was superimposed on the US, it could stretch from Indianapolis to Washington, DC. Hurricane-force winds do not reach nearly as far, but are extending at least 80 miles from Helene’s center. Helene’s huge size will result in higher storm surge and dangerous winds that stretch well inland. Widespread power outages are likely across the Southeast. Pinellas County officials are hoping residents will understand how devastating Helene is going to be by comparing the forecast to what happened last year during Hurricane Idalia. Idalia took a similar track through the Gulf of Mexico, triggering storm surge along Florida’s Gulf coast. Idalia’s storm surge in St. Pete, which the county says flooded 1,500 homes, maxed out at 4 feet. That’s the blue line in the graphic below. Helene’s forecast for the same location is at least 8 feet. Helene, a potent Category 2 hurricane, has developed an eye in the last hour, satellite imagery shows. This indicates that Helene continues to strengthen over the exceptionally warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Some of the most powerful hurricanes develop a clear, circular, easily spotted eye. Helene’s eye currently appears a bit more of like an oval than a circle, but that could change in the next few hours. Helene’s torrential rainfall could produce life-threatening flooding. Two separate areas of a rare level 4 of 4 excessive rainfall risk are in place for parts of the Southeast Thursday, according to the Weather Prediction Center. It’s hard to overstate how big of a deal these level 4 of 4 high risks are. High risks for flooding rainfall are issued on fewer than 4% of all days per year on average but are responsible for more than 80% of all flood-related damage and nearly 40% of all flood-related deaths, research from the WPC shows. Flooding caused by rainfall has become the deadliest threat of tropical systems in the last decade. The forecast below shows how much rainfall the Southeast could get over the next few days. Officials in Pinellas County, Florida, made an urgent plea to residents under mandatory evacuation orders in Zone A who still haven’t left the area to heed their warnings and “just get out” ahead of Hurricane Helene’s arrival. “Way too many people in Zone A aren’t listening. We’ve been out there this morning. There are still way too many people in the areas,” Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said during a press conference Thursday morning. Cathie Perkins, director of Pinellas County Emergency Management, urged remaining Zone A residents to evacuate by Noon at the latest, as roads have already start to flood.  To help people leave the evacuation zone, Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority will run a “one shot” bus up and down the barrier islands starting at 10:00 a.m., Perkins said. The county has staged high-water vehicles, shallow water boats, teams of deputies and other rescue personnel to assist the community during the storm, according to the sheriff. But officials still warned residents not to rely on the county’s help if they choose not to evacuate. A tornado watch has been issued for more than 3.5 million people in parts of eastern Georgia and much of South Carolina. The watch is valid until 9 p.m. Thursday. “A long-duration and gradually increasing tornado threat will exist” with Helene, the Storm Prediction Center warned. Additional watches could be added or extended throughout the day. The forecast arrival of Hurricane Helene in northwestern Florida could bring devastating storm surge and community leaders are begging residents to heed the warnings to leave. Helene is currently a Category 2 storm, but is expected to strengthen before making landfall. Jones said he would normally stay in town during a hurricane as an elected official to prepare for recovery, but he has changed his mind. The commissioner said he hopes everyone in Franklin County – which includes Apalachicola – will follow his example. Torrential rain flooded parts of the Southeast Wednesday ahead of Helene’s arrival, making the hurricane’s incoming heavy rainfall all the more dangerous. Widespread rain amounts upwards of 2 inches fell from central Georgia through the mountains of Tennessee and the Carolinas and farther north into Virginia. The totals below represent rain that fell from Wednesday morning to Thursday morning. In many places, several inches of rain fell in just a few hours. More than half a foot of rain fell in parts of far western North Carolina, where Helene is forecast to dump an additional foot – maybe even up to 20 inches – of rain through the weekend. A rare level 4 of 4 risk of flooding is in place for this area, western South Carolina and northwest Georgia Thursday. An additional area of this rare level 4 of 4 risk is in place for parts of the Florida Panhandle and southern Georgia near where Helene is expected to make landfall late in the day. Widespread rainfall amounts of 4 to 8 inches could deluge this area in a matter of hours. A tornado watch has been issued for 17 million people in Florida until 8 p.m. ET because of Helene. This watch includes Tampa, Miami, Fort Myers and Orlando. “Due to Helene’s large size and fast forward speed, a broad region from Florida and Georgia northward into the Carolinas will see some risk for tornadoes,” the Storm Prediction Center said. “During the day, Helene’s rain bands will overspread the FL Peninsula, with other outer bands potentially moving inland across parts of GA/SC and eventually NC through tonight.” Additional tornado watches could be added for portions of Georgia and South Carolina later in the day as the threat advances northward. There has already been an observed tornado in South Carolina Thursday morning. The most important thing the Federal Emergency Management Agency wants people to focus on today is staying safe, its acting associate administrator, Keith Turi, told CNN’s John Berman Thursday. The agency has been preparing since Monday, Turi said for impacts not only in Florida, but Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Alabama. Many of the risks hurricanes pose come after landfall, Turi said, offering the following reminders: Watch out for downed power lines, don’t walk or drive through flood water, if your power is out use flashlights, not candles, and if you have a generator, make sure you use that safely – never indoors. “There will be time to work, focus on repairs and restoration at a later point, but we want to make sure everybody withstands the storm as best as they can,” he said. Helene strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane Thursday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center. The hurricane now has sustained winds of 100 mph with higher gusts. Helene is expected to rapidly intensify throughout the day and eventually become a major hurricane – Category 3 or stronger – before making landfall in Florida late Thursday. Wind gusts of 40 to 60 mph are battering much of the Florida Keys this morning as Hurricane Helene approaches the state. Helene is currently about 350 miles southwest of Tampa, but the hurricane’s winds are far-reaching. Tropical storm-force sustained winds extend nearly 350 miles from its center this morning, with gusts occurring even farther away, and it could grow even more as the storm strengthens. A weather reporting station near the coast just south of Naples recently recorded a wind gust of 45 mph. Helene pounds Naples 00:44 - Source: CNN Large parts of the Florida coast and areas farther inland will start to experience these winds in the next few hours. Passengers heading to the airport should check their reservations first as airlines have issued more than 800 flight cancelations as a result of Hurricane Helene. Typically, airlines hope that by canceling flights ahead of the storm they won’t leave passengers stranded at airports and can recover their schedules more quickly. Most of the impact so far is contained to flights out of Tampa, Ft. Myers, Tallahassee, Clearwater and Sarasota. Those airports have seen the vast majority of their flights canceled. Satellite imagery of Hurricane Helene shows the storm is trying to develop a clear eye this morning. The eye is an area of calm weather at the center of a storm and is bordered by the fiercest winds in the eyewall. A clear eye starting to show up on satellite imagery typically indicates a hurricane is strengthening. As of 5 a.m., Helene was packing sustained winds of 90 mph, just 6 mph shy of becoming a Category 2 hurricane. Hurricane Helene is intensifying as it tracks north toward the Florida Panhandle. Helene could be the strongest hurricane to hit the United States in over a year – and time is running out for those in its path to prepare. “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,” the National Hurricane Center warned. Track its path here: Several school districts in counties along Florida’s Gulf Coast, including the Tampa area, have announced closures ahead of the impacts of Hurricane Helene on the state. After discussions with local emergency management officials, Hillsborough County Public Schools, which includes schools in the city of Tampa, announced their decision to close schools on Thursday. Neighboring Pinellas County schools and offices will also be closed on Thursday, the county said. Public schools in Sarasota County will be closed on Thursday and Friday, the county announced. Orange, Broward and Palm Beach Counties are the latest school districts to close schools ahead of Helene making landfall. Florida A&M University (FAMU) canceled classes through Friday and announced that all academic operations will be suspended to accommodate any potential disruptions caused by the storm. Several of the state’s universities have also announced closures. Florida State University’s Tallahassee campus announced its closure on Wednesday and expects to resume normal business operations on Monday. FAMU’s Developmental Research School (K-12) closed on Wednesday and will remain closed on Thursday and Friday “for the safety of students, teachers, and staff.” Hurricane Helene is strengthening and now has sustained winds of 90 mph, a strong Category 1 hurricane, according to the 5 am EDT update from the National Hurricane Center. Helene is located about 350 miles southwest of Tampa, Florida moving to the north-northeast at 12 mph. Continued strengthening and a significant increase in forward speed during the next 24 hours is expected and Helene will make landfall along the Big Bend of Florida later this evening or early Friday morning as a major hurricane, Category 3 or higher. Helene is forecast to likely bring catastrophic and deadly storm surge along portions of the Florida Big Bend coast, where inundation could reach as high as 20 feet above ground level, and life-threatening storm surge is possible along the remainder of the west coast of the Florida Peninsula. Helene will dump very heavy rainfall both along and far removed from its path through the end of the week. Some of the highest totals from the storm could end up focusing on mountainous areas of Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas. Anywhere from one to nearly four Septembers’ worth of rain could fall in just two days – an enormous amount that will likely lead to significant flooding in some locations. Catastrophic wind damage from Hurricane Helene could cause power outages that will “likely last days, if not weeks, near where it makes landfall,” the National Weather Service said in a Thursday morning update. The NWS also warned that the winds could cause catastrophic damage to trees and power lines, widespread inaccessibility due to blocked roads and damage to well-built structures. Widespread heavy rainfall is also expected with the storm, which will “likely lead to both flash flooding and riverine flooding,” the NWS said. Governor Glenn Youngkin has declared a state of emergency Wednesday in advance of Hurricane Helene, with Virginia becoming the fifth state under emergency declarations. Virginia is preparing for significant rainfall and flooding in western portions of the state on Friday and Saturday, the governor said. Youngkin urged residents to stay informed and follow the direction of local officials. The state of emergency will allow the mobilization of resources and equipment needed for preparedness, response and recovery efforts. The governors of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina have also declared emergencies due to the storm. Tampa officials have told residents in mandatory evacuation zones they do not have to go far, but it is “critically important” that they get to higher ground before Helene hits the state. Castor said the storm surge will cause the water to rush in quickly. The Tampa area is predicted to see a storm surge of 4 to 8 feet – a level that is unprecedented, Hillsborough County Commissioner Harry Cohen said. The surge is predicted to occur after the most significant weather from the storm has come to an end, Cohen added. Below is a select list of cities in the path of Hurricane Helene. These are general forecasts to give people an idea of when stormy conditions could start, when they might end, and how bad it could get in between. Tampa Storm duration: Thursday 6 a.m. to Friday 1 a.m. Peak wind: 70 to 80 mph, likely between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Thursday Rainfall: 3 to 5 inches Storm surge: 5 to 8 feet of surge, peaking around high tide Thursday night (8 p.m. to 2 a.m.) Apalachicola, Florida Storm duration: Thursday 1 p.m. to Friday 3 a.m. Thurs to 3 am Friday Peak wind: 100 to 120 mph between Thursday 6 p.m. and 12 a.m. Rainfall: 10 to 12 inches Storm surge: 10 to 15 feet of surge, peaking at landfall, Thursday between 8 p.m. and 10 a.m. Tallahassee, Florida Storm duration: Thursday 3 p.m. to Friday 5 a.m. Peak wind: 90 to 110 mph between Thursday 8 p.m. and 1 a.m. Rainfall: 6 to 9 inches Steinhatchee, Florida Storm duration: Thursday 1 p.m. to Friday 3 a.m. Peak winds: 70 to 85 mph from Thursday 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. Rainfall: 3 to 5 inches Storm surge: 15 to 20 feet of surge, peaking around landfall, Thursday 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Macon, Georgia Storm duration: Thursday 10 p.m. to Friday 10 a.m. Peak wind: 50 to 75 mph Friday 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. Rainfall: 5 to 8 inches Atlanta Storm duration: Thursday 11 p.m. to Friday 11 a.m. Peak wind: 50 to 75 mph, Friday 3 a.m. to 8 a.m. Rainfall: 6 to 10 inches The National Weather Service in Tallahassee, which covers the part of Florida likely to be thrashed the hardest by Hurricane Helene, used some extraordinary language Wednesday to describe the storm surge threat: potentially “unsurvivable.” It’s a remarkable choice of words from an agency that takes great pains to avoid hype in its forecasts, and indicates just how bad Helene could get along the coast. Storm surge is how much the water rises above normal as hurricane winds push the ocean onto normally dry land. NWS is warning Helene’s surge could climb to as much as 20 feet in Florida’s Big Bend. The threat of power outages to the state of Georgia from the effects of Hurricane Helene will be “significant” and “like nothing we’ve seen,” Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Director James Stallings said Wednesday. Stalling told residents they should be prepared to be self-sufficient as winds and rain from the hurricane will affect the entire state. Stallings said the saturated ground from a current weather system will cause trees to topple from Helene’s heavy winds, and power outages will be “significant.” Stallings said he doesn’t want to “put fear in some folks” but the potential for mudslides in the mountainous areas of the state are also a concern. Hernando County’s commissioner told coastal residents under an evacuation order to “get out now” on Wednesday, ahead of life-threatening storm surge expected from Hurricane Helene. Hernando County is in Florida’s Big Bend coastal region, where Helene is expected to hit Thursday as a Category 4 hurricane. “We’re talking about 8 to 12 feet of water. This, over the last couple of years, is the most significant forecast that we’ve come up against,” Commissioner Brian Hawkins said in a Wednesday evening news conference. The storm surge will bring “significant, catastrophic damage” and residents need to have a plan, Hawkins said. “We’re talking about single story homes that could be completely covered with water if the predictions are true. I can’t stress it enough. I’m asking everybody, please stay safe. Do the right thing, make a plan and evacuate,” Hawkins said, adding shelters are open and more will be opened as needed.