Hurricane Helen roared ashore in Florida early Friday morning, with the powerful hurricane potentially causing “nightmarish” storm surge across much of the southeastern United States, followed by dangerous winds and rain. Forecasters have warned that there will be.
The hurricane, which will soon weaken to a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 70 miles per hour, continues to weaken as it moves further inland over Georgia, according to the National Hurricane Center.
At least three people died related to the storm, according to the Associated Press report, Even before the storm arrived, it knocked out power to more than 2 million homes and businesses and caused severe flooding in several areas.
The newspaper gave precise details about the course of the weather event, noting that Helen hit the coast near the mouth of the Aucilla River in the Big Bend area of Florida's Gulf Coast. The report continued:
that [Helene] Maximum sustained wind speeds were estimated at 140 miles per hour (225 kilometers per hour). The site is only about 20 miles (32 kilometers) northwest of where Hurricane Idalia made landfall last year with nearly the same ferocity and caused widespread damage.
Helen caused hurricane and flash flood warnings to extend far beyond the coast into northern Georgia and western North Carolina. More than 1.2 million homes and businesses in Florida lost power, more than 190,000 in Georgia and more than 30,000 in the Carolinas lost power, according to the tracking site poweroutage.us. The governors of those states, as well as Alabama and Virginia, have all declared states of emergency.
One person was killed in Florida when a sign fell on a car, and two people were reported dead in south Georgia, where a storm was approaching as a possible tornado hit.
The Associated Press report further noted that Helen was moving rapidly inland after landfall, with the center of the storm expected to move from southern Georgia to northern Georgia into early Friday morning.
Forecasters said the risk of tornadoes would also continue overnight into the morning in northern and central Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and southern North Carolina.
There is a risk of tornadoes in Virginia later Friday.
As Breitbart News reported, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) gave his own update late at night after the storm struck.
A capsized boat washes up on shore as Hurricane Helen rocks offshore in St. Petersburg, Florida, September 26, 2024. Already a Category 3 storm, Helen is expected to intensify before making landfall on the northwestern Florida coast tonight. Flash flood warnings also extend to northern Georgia and western North Carolina. (Joe Radle/Getty Images)
In a lengthy press conference, the governor warned reporters to refrain from going out and told the public to hunker down.
“It's a very dangerous situation outside. You just have to hunker down right now. This is not the time to go out. Not only is water coming ashore here in northern Florida, but as far south as Florida. We are still seeing water levels rising in some areas.” the governor said.
