National Hurricane Center Issues Dire Warnings as Helene Nears Landfall
The National Hurricane Center issued a dire warning on Thursday regarding Hurricane Helene, advising residents in affected areas that “this is not a survivable event.”
Forecasters believe that Hurricane Helene will reach Category 3 or 4 levels before it makes landfall on Thursday evening, with hurricane-force winds (defined as 74mph or greater sustained) projected for parts of the Florida panhandle and southern Georgia, as well as intense flooding expected in areas of Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. Winds in the eyewall could be much higher. Experts estimate the storm surge, which is the level of ocean water pushed onto land by winds, could rise to nearly 20 feet in the state's Big Bend region, where the panhandle meets the peninsula.
9/26 4am CDT: There is a danger of life-threatening storm surge from #Helene along the west coast of the Florida Peninsula & Florida Big Bend, where a Storm Surge Warning is in effect. Residents in the warning area should follow advice & evacuation orders from local officials. pic.twitter.com/XybAzNopuR
— NHC Storm Surge (@NHC_Surge) September 26, 2024
“They’re talking about possibly 18-foot [sic] of storm surge,” Senator Rick Scott said on Thursday. “I’m a little over six feet—that’s three times my height. None of us are living that…You’re not going to survive. I mean, you’re not going to live through this stuff.
Flood potential map updated. High chances now extend for a long portion to watch. https://t.co/Hk3pbO84Yf pic.twitter.com/scdqIFxMWh
— Mike's Weather Page (@tropicalupdate) September 26, 2024
Jared Miller, a sheriff in Wakulla County, also warned, "This is not a survivable event for those in coastal or low-lying areas. Please heed the evacuation orders in place, as time is running out to do so."
More than a dozen coastal counties are under some form of evacuation order:
Latest #Helene evacuation map as of 9:30 AM today. If you are planning to leave in the panhandle/big bend, and have not done so already, your escape window is quickly closing. #FLwx pic.twitter.com/A1YMYOOxkJ
— Florida Tropics (@FloridaTropics1) September 26, 2024
The state’s governor, Ron DeSantis, reiterated that now is the only time to evacuate. "You have time to get to a shelter, but you've got to do it now," he said. "Every minute that goes by brings us closer to having conditions that are going to be simply too dangerous to navigate."
Earlier on Thursday, FEMA announced that it was preparing a response to the storm, which it referred to as a “multi-state event.” Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission likewise cautioned that flooding can bring additional risks besides water, like bringing snakes and alligators onto what was once dry land.