Helene now projected as Category 4 hurricane, could get stronger: Live updates
USA Today
Hurricane Helene is now predicted to reach Florida as a Category 4 hurricane, part of a frightening forecast of 130-mph winds and high storm surge that brings a dire scenario for hundreds of miles of the state's coast as entire communities are forced to flee.
Helene reached hurricane status Wednesday and was forecast to grow more powerful and dangerous before making landfall Thursday evening on Florida's Gulf Coast as a devastating Category 4 storm, up from an expectation earlier Wednesday that it would arrive as a Category 3 hurricane.
"It should be noted that additional strengthening is possible beyond 24 hours before Helene makes landfall,'' the National Hurricane Center said in a 5 p.m. ET update. The NHC added 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.''
All along the center has expected Helene to strengthen rapidly over the eastern Gulf of Mexico, but the sustained winds were projected at 120-125 mph.
This is the “worst case for the Tallahassee region and Big Bend of Florida,” said Craig Fugate, former administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and a former director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management. “Storm surge will most likely set records along the coast.”
The highest landfall probability is somewhere along the eastern part of the Florida Panhandle − possibly the Big Bend area, the curve of Florida's peninsula around the Gulf of Mexico − late Thursday, AccuWeather forecasters said. Near where Helene makes landfall, general rainfall of 8-12 inches is expected, with 2 feet of rain possible in isolated areas.
Developments:
∎ Tampa International Airport said it will suspend operations at 2 a.m. Thursday because of the hurricane. The airport plans to reopen "when safe to do so." The smaller, nearby St. Pete-Clearwater Airport will be closed Thursday and is scheduled to reopen Friday, according to its website. Orlando International Airport said on X that it remains open but some flights could be delayed or cancelled for weather-related reasons.
∎ While U.S. flights weren't seeing a major impact early Wednesday, 12% of flights to Cancun, Mexico, had been canceled and another 16% delayed as of 1:30 p.m. ET, according to online flight tracker FlightAware. Elsewhere, airlines have issued travel waivers, allowing customers to rebook flights along the hurricane's path without penalties, though cities, dates and terms vary widely. Details here.
∎ The Tampa Zoo said it will close its door to the public Thursday and take measures to protect the animals from the approaching hurricane.
∎ The University of Florida cancelled classes for Thursday, joining Florida State and Florida A&M universities, whose closures will last through the weekend.
∎ Helene is the fifth hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic season, about the average number for the date, according to Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach. A typical season sees a total of seven hurricanes. If it lands as a Category 3 storm, this would be fifth consecutive year a major hurricane hits the U.S. mainland, which has only happened once before, Klotzbach said.
Helene's explosive forecastone of the 'most aggressive' in hurricane history
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https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/09/25/helene-storm-hurricane-path-forecast-live-updates/75369769007/
