Topline
Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category 4 storm late Thursday, with maximum sustained wind speeds of 140 mph—the most powerful storm to strike the Florida Big Bend region—before barrelling into neighboring Georgia early on Friday as authorities warned of life-threatening winds, heavy rains and catastrophic storm surges.
A car is seen on a deserted street as it rains heavily before Hurricane Helene makes landfall in … [+]
Key Facts
According to the National Hurricane Center, the hurricane made landfall around 11:10 PM EDT, around 45 miles southeast of Florida’s capital Tallahassee.
Helene gradually weakened as it moved inland, but remained a dangerous Category 1 Hurricane, with maximum sustained wind speeds of 80 mph, as it moved into Georgia.
Hurricane and storm surge warnings remained in effect in parts of Florida, while the NHC also warned of the risk of tornadoes forming overnight in some parts of the state, along with Georgia and the Carolinas.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at least one person is believed to have been killed by the hurricane so far after a road sign fell on their car while they were driving on Interstate 4 in Tampa—two others were reportedly killed in Georgia by a tornado triggered by the storm.
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News Peg
According to the tracker PowerOutage.US, the hurricane has knocked off power for more than 2 million homes and businesses across Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. Florida is the worst hit, with more than 1,250,000 customers facing blackouts, most of whom are located in the Big Bend. More than 670,000 are without power in Georgia, followed by around 218,000 in South Carolina and nearly 62,000 in North Carolina.
What Is A Category 4 Storm?
Under the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane wind scale, a storm is considered a Category 4 hurricane if it has maximum sustained wind speeds of between 130-156 mph. According to the NHC, a Category 4 storm can cause “catastrophic damage” and even cause well-built frame homes to lose most of their roof structure and some exterior walls. A Category-4 can uproot most trees and damage most power poles—causing outages that can last several weeks.
A boat washed ashore as storm surge affects Gulfport, Fla. as Hurricane Helene passed through the … [+]
Charles Starling, a lineman with Team Fishel, is pelted with rain as he walks by a row of electrical … [+]
Hurricane Helene made landfall late on Thursday as a Category 4 storm.
People gathered at a middle school in Tallahassee, which served as an emergency shelter for … [+]
An emergency shelter for Hurricane Helene was set-up at Leon High School in Tallahassee.
Further Reading
Hurricane Helene Makes Landfall In Florida As Category 4 Storm—Here’s What To Know (Forbes)
