HURRICANE HELENE: Category 4 storm makes landfall in Florida’s Big Bend
This GOES-16 GeoColor satellite image taken at 5:46 p.m. EDT and provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows Hurricane Helene in the Gulf of Mexico moving towards Florida, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (NOAA via AP)
Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend area as a Category 4 storm late Thursday night.
The storm hit near Perry, Florida, with sustained winds of 140MPH at around 10:10PM CDT.
In Alabama, a TROPICAL STORM WARNING was in effect for several counties in East and Southeast Alabama late Thursday, including some in our area: Barbour, Bullock, Chambers, Coffee, Dale, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Lee, Macon, Pike and Russell.
Forecasters say Helene threatens an “unsurvivable” storm surge in parts of northwestern Florida, as well as damaging winds, rains and flash floods hundreds of miles inland across much of the southeastern United States. Helene is expected to move north through Georgia, affecting Valdosta, Macon and Atlanta — possibly with hurricane-force winds in addition to heavy rain.
The eastern side of the storm could bring tornadoes to parts of eastern Georgia as well as South Carolina and North Carolina.
The governors of Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas and Virginia have all declared emergencies in their states.
President Joe Biden declared an emergency in Florida, and federal authorities positioned generators, food and water, along with search-and-rescue and power restoration teams.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp also declared an emergency in his state.
———————————————————————————————-
Now is the time to prepare. First, download the free Action 8 News weather app:
iPhone – Android
Next, make sure you have more than one way to get weather alerts. A NOAA weather radio in addition to your phone (with your emergency alerts turned on) make for a good combination. Do not depend on sirens to keep you protected.
Know where to go inside your home if severe weather is imminent. If you live in a mobile home, you need to find sturdy shelter somewhere else. Plan now for what you will do.
Action 8 News will bring you live coverage on-air, online and on your phone. We will be staffed around the clock until the severe weather threat passes.
Watches & Warnings
Live Interactive Radar
Exclusive WeatherSTEM – live conditions in Montgomery
Weather Authority: X – Facebook
Weather Authority Web Page
Safe from the Storm – storm safety tips
(Copyright 2024 The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
