Hurricane Helene makes landfall in Florida after 70,000+ flee

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. − Hurricane Helene made landfall Thursday night carrying catastrophic 140 mph winds as the first known Category 4 storm to hit Florida’s Big Bend region since records began in 1851.

Helene made landfall at about 11:10 p.m. ET near Perry, Florida, about 45 miles east-southeast of Tallahassee.

The storm has already forced closures of schools, airports and roadways across Florida after Helene rapidly intensified within hours Thursday as it moved through the Gulf of Mexico. More than 70,000 people across four counties – Franklin, Taylor, Liberty and Wakulla – fled under mandatory evacuations as forecasters painted a grim picture of the potential destruction ahead.

“This will not be a survivable event for those in coastal or low lying areas,” Wakulla County Sheriff Jared Miller said in a Facebook post. “There has not been a storm of this magnitude to hit Wakulla in recorded history.”

Helene is expected to turn northwestward and slow down over the Tennessee Valley on Friday and Saturday. In anticipation of the storm’s sprawling impact, President Joe Biden approved emergency declarations ahead of Helene’s landfall for Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Alabama to mobilize federal emergency management resources.

“Helene is a very dangerous hurricane and could become a ‘once-in-a-generation storm’ across western South Carolina and North Carolina, as well as northern and eastern Georgia,” said AccuWeather senior director of forecasting operations Dan DePodwin.

Hurricane Helene tracker:See projected path of ‘catastrophic’ storm as Florida braces

Developments:

∎ Asheville, North Carolina, more than 400 miles from the expected landfall location, got 8.34 inches of rain over 26 hours from Wednesday until 4 p.m. Thursday, according to National Weather Service data. The estimated 1-in-1,000- year rainfall for 24 hours in that location is 7.25 inches.

∎ The Florida Highway Patrol closed the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, which links St. Petersburg to Bradenton, after winds at the span reached 60 mph and conditions deteriorated.

∎ Florida State and Florida A&M Universities canceled classes but opened their doors to students and Tallahassee residents. The American Red Cross was using FAMU’s Al Lawson Center on campus as a shelter open to the general public; FSU was opening a refugee facility at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center on Thursday to registered students who live off-campus.

‘They’ve got to get out’: Some residents ignore evacuation order

For some people, even the threat of “unsurvivable” storm surge is not enough to convince them to leave their homes. A Florida official from Helene’s projected path finds that quite frustrating.

Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, whose jurisdiction covers St. Petersburg and Clearwater, admonished residents who refuse to heed an evacuation order when he held a Thursday morning news conference as Helene zeroed in on Florida’s northwest coast.

“We’ve got a problem, and the problem is that way too many people in Zone A aren’t listening,” Gualtieri said. “We’ve been out there this morning, there’s just way too many people in the area.”

A storm surge of 5-8 feet is predicted for the county, putting residents of barrier islands and low-lying coastal areas in danger.

“They’ve got to get out,” Gualtieri said, “and there’s going to reach a point where you’re on your own because we’re not going to get our people killed because you don’t want to listen to what we’re saying.”

− Christopher Cann

Sheriff takes grim tack with evacuation holdouts

In Taylor County, Florida, where Helen’s storm surge is forecast to reach 15 to 20 feet high, the sheriff’s office posted a message Thursday morning for residents who weren’t heeding the county’s mandatory evacuation order.

“If you or someone you know chose not to evacuate, PLEASE write your, Name, birthday and important information on your arm or leg in A PERMANENT MARKER so that you can be identified and family notified,” the message said. The post also asked residents staying behind to send an email to the office with their names, addresses, contact information and the number of people and pets at the location.

The small rural county on the state’s gulf coast was the site of Hurricane Idalia’s landfall in August 2023 and Hurricane Debby’s landfall in August.

Gene Taylor, a former public official in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, when Hurricane Katrina made landfall there in 2005, has another message he gives to people considering riding out a potentially deadly storm surge. “Have life jackets and an ax, in case they have to chop through the attic roof to get out.”

Many people were rescued from rooftops when the water rose after Katrina and in other locations after severe flooding.

− Dinah Pulver Voyles and Doyle Rice

Head of FEMA to take first-hand look at storm impacts

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell will visit Florida on Friday to assess the impacts of the storm and report back to President Joe Biden.

Criswell said she would fly as close as she could to Tallahassee and meet with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his team. The FEMA leader said she would like to take an aerial tour if possible so she can see the damage for herself. Afterward, she is prepared to move up to Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, also expected to be heavily affected by Helene.

“Me being on the ground helps me validate some of the damage more quickly, so we can get major declarations in place faster,” she told reporters at a White House briefing Thursday, adding the agency has the resources it needs to respond to this disaster.

Criswell said FEMA has aggressively deployed resources in advance of Helene’s arrival and advised those likely to be impacted to do the same, both in Florida and across inland locations far from the storm’s landfall. Parts of Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and the Appalachians could get up to 20 inches of rain and experience widespread flooding.

“Take the storm seriously,” Criswell said. “People in Hurricane Helene’s path, you need to listen to your local officials. If they tell you to evacuate, please do so, and if they tell you to shelter in place, then that’s what you should do. They’re going to give you the best information that you can do for your specific situation. Those decisions can save lives.”

− Francesca Chambers

Despite pleas from grown children, couple choose to stay

As the storm rolled closer to the coast, a small number of people in St. Marks made last-minute preparations amid steady rain and increasing wind.

John and Melissa Hines, who own and operate the Sweet Magnolia Inn near the water’s edge, piled all of the furniture on their ground floor onto tables and moved a massaging armchair onto the landing. They were planning to stick around until the storm hit, then relocate to their son’s apartment about a mile up the road on higher ground.

Legend has it their pre-WWII building was built using old railroad tracks from the line that used to serve the area, and it has withstood multiple hurricanes, John Hines said, though different storms have left their marks.

“The building will remain. What we have to work with after remains to be seen,” he said Thursday afternoon.

The couple have four children, and the three who do not live nearby have been urging them to leave the area more quickly, Melissa Hines said. One of them, she said, even called their pastor in Ohio, who then reached out to add his encouragement.

“Our faith is great,” Melissa Hines said, explaining why they aren’t seeking safety further from the storm. “Our pastor called and said, ‘Your kids are worried, you need to be wise. Stop being so stubborn.’ So we are going to leave but we’re going to stay close to home.”

Helene could bring three times the rain it takes to cause landslides

Helene is forecast to bring as much as 15 inches of rain to western North Carolina and the Blue Ridge Mountains − well over the accepted threshold of 5 inches needed to trigger dangerous and potentially deadly landslides.

According to Brad Johnson, environmental science professor at Davidson College north of Charlotte, “Scientists established some thresholds in North Carolina in the wake of the 2004 Peeks Creek landslide, the deadliest in North Carolina in 60 years.”

That slide, triggered by rains from Hurricane Ivan, killed five people. Johnson’s group looked at weather data from that slide and found that 5 inches was roughly the threshold for landslides to occur, he said.

− Doyle Rice

Power outages increase as Helene draws near

Thousands of residents in communities across the western coast of Florida had their power knocked out Thursday morning as massive Hurricane Helene closed in on the state’s panhandle and Big Bend region.

Across the state, more than 436,000 utility customers were without power as of 8 p.m. ET, according to a USA TODAY power outage tracker. There were over 9,000 outages reported in Collier County, over 47,000 in Sarasota County and 51,000 in Hillsborough County.

Outage totals are expected to grow as Helene moves closer to the state into Thursday night.

– Gabe Hauari and Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY

Manatees could be left stranded by Hurricane Helene

Fish, birds and other animals are all impacted differently by storms, depending on their habitat, food sources and other factors, wildlife experts told USA TODAY.

Manatees may become stranded or injured by debris from Hurricane Helene. In years past, they have been discovered after hurricanes in a dry bay, in a golf course pond and a retention pond. However, larger sea creatures like sharks and whales have likely been able to swim away from Hurricane Helene quickly, according to the National Ocean Service.

After Hurricane Idalia in 2023, flamingos from Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula ended up in the U.S., in places they had never been seen before, including Missouri and Kansas.

When fish die during a hurricane, the most common reason is low oxygen levels in water that has been pushed up from the bottom and may contain lethal hydrogen sulfide. Also, if there are long stretches of cloudy days amid a storm, oxygen-producing organisms and plants can’t photosynthesize, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

− Jeanine Santucci

How much damage could Helene do in Florida?

Helene’s true toll will depend on where it makes landfall, and how its other effects such as flooding, storm surge and tornadoes unfold. But its wind speed and category at landfall will especially affect power outages and structural damage.

The National Hurricane Center says Category 4 storms threaten well-built framed homes with “severe” damage, potentially losing both roofs and walls. Most trees are snapped or uprooted and power poles are downed.

“Power outages will last weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months,” the hurricane center says of Category 4 storms.

Learn more onthe Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale and thedangers of storm surge.

− Doyle Rice

Riding it out on a fishing boat

In Saint Marks, 30 miles south of Tallahassee where two rivers meet before emptying into Apalachee Bay, a handful of residents and business owners watched the water rising by several inches every 30 minutes on Thursday. Stone crab fisherman Philip Tooke, 63, stood on the dock of his family owned Saint Mark’s Seafoods, watching the rain and for signs the wind direction was changing.

He’s had head-height floodwaters beneath his building several times over the years, but he’s worried what a 15-foot storm surge would mean. He and his brother planned to ride out the storm aboard their fishing boats.

“I feel sorry for them to the east, but if we don’t get that direct hit we’ll be OK,” Tooke said. “It ain’t got ‘bad bad’ yet. It will be by tonight. It’s not going to be pleasant down here.”

Parts of Carolinas, Tennessee face major flood threat

Flooding rain associated with Hurricane Helene will not be limited to Florida, eastern Alabama and southern Georgia. Overnight, as the massive storm moves inland, the southern Appalachians – from the northeast Atlanta area through the western Carolinas and eastern Tennessee – also face a threat of potentially “catastrophic” flooding, forecasters said.

In a Thursday morning update on Helene, Michael Brennan, the director of the National Hurricane Center, warned of widespread rainfall totals of 6 to 12 inches with isolated amounts as high as 18 inches. The torrential rain creates the potential for “life-threatening” flash and urban flooding, Brennan said, adding there’s potential for mudslides and landslides throughout the mountainous region.

The governors of Georgia and the Carolinas have declared states of emergencies as the fast-moving storm barrels toward the Florida coast.

“We will likely avoid the brunt of this storm, but it is still expected to bring flooding, high winds and isolated tornadoes,” South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said. “Take proper precautions and monitor local forecasts.”

– Christopher Cann, USA TODAY

Flights canceled, airports closed

Nearly 1,200 U.S. flights were canceled by early Thursday because of Hurricane Helene, according to FlightAware. Tampa International Airport, St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport and Tallahassee International Airport in Florida all announced they will be closed for the day, but the storm’s impacts extend beyond its projected path. Airlines began offering travel waivers earlier this week so customers could reschedule their plans around the storm.

Anyone whose flight was canceled is eligible for a refund under Department of Transportation rules. Federal laws do not require airlines to compensate travelers for delayed flights, but carriers have committed to various degrees of compensation for significant delays within their control. Read more here.

− Eve Chen

Did Helene delay or cancel your flight?What to expect from your airline.

Pastor offers church as shelter

Paul Nawlin, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Steinhatchee, rode his golf cart to Riverside Drive to check on residents who live along the banks of the Steinhatchee River. Because some are staying through the storm, so will he. His church is fresh from a roof repair done Wednesday in preparation for Helene. Now, he says, it’s ready to keep anyone dry who needs a place to stay as the hurricane bears down on their town.

“We’re going to trust the Lord − no matter,” Nawlin said. “He didn’t ask us to understand everything. Just trust.”

Most Florida schools cancel classes

Most Florida schools were closed Thursday ahead of Hurricane Helene’s landfall, according to Florida Today, part of the USA TODAY Network. The Florida Department of Education issued a news release with a list of school closures, and the department said it’s working closely with districts to get them the resources they need to resume normal operations as soon as possible.

The University of Florida in Gainesville was closed Thursday, and Florida A&M University and the New College of Florida closed earlier this week, through Friday, according to the education department’s statement. At least 33 other colleges and universities are temporarily shutting down their campuses, according to the Florida Department of Education.

Dozens of school districts across the state are also closed, affecting K-12 students, as the entire state is blanketed in hurricane and tornado watches.

− Claire Thornton

Flooding begins along southwest, central Florida coast

Floodwaters began to inundate roads along the central and southwest coast of Florida on Thursday morning. In communities including Fort Myers Beach, Sarasota, Venice, Bradenton and several in the Tampa Bay area, officials have announced road closures as heavy rain and storm surge lead to flooding along coastal and low-lying areas.

Sanibel city spokesman Eric Jackson, citing widespread flooding across the Lee County island, urged people not to drive on flooded streets. Molly McCollum, a meteorologist with the Weather Channel, captured video of fish swimming on a street in downtown Sarasota.

The National Hurricane Center expects a surge of water several feet high to come ashore along most of the western coast of Florida, with the highest level – 15 to 20 feet – projected to wallop the panhandle and Big Bend coast.

– Christopher Cann, USA TODAY; Dave Osborn, Naples Daily News; Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Couple in their 80s decide to hunker down

Taylor County Sheriff Sgt. Lee Harden’s SUV pulled over Thursday at a home in the Steinhatchee coastal community, in the direct path of Hurricane Helene, after spotting a couple outside a home. Stan Ridgeway, 87, told the officer he’s staying.

“I have to let you know …” Harden began, reciting the details about the expected surge. Ridgeway said he knew.

Later, sitting in his living room, with his wife Jean, 81, Ridgeway said he bought his century-old house with its high elevation in mind. Floodwaters from Hurricane Idalia last year did not reach his home. Jean Ridgeway noted that this is the third hurricane since 2023.

“We didn’t use to get hurricanes here,” she said, then jokingly added: “I think they discovered this place and they liked it.”

Lesson learned, residents evacuate Horseshoe Beach

Horseshoe Beach has become a ghost town ahead of Helene’s anticipated landfall, the last few residents of the coastal community making final preparations before evacuating inland. The town was devastated by Hurricane Idalia, a Category 3 hurricane that hit Aug. 30, 2023, causing major damage to the eastern Big Bend and Nature Coast. Now it faces the prospect of a 10- to 15-foot storm surge. Or worse.

“We’re just trying to get the heck out,” Judy Paradis said as she and her husband, John, loaded their cars.

After last year’s experience, residents took the evacuation orders seriously, Judy said. The Paradises had just made Horseshoe Beach their permanent home last year after vacationing in the coastal town for several years. They said they have “survivor’s guilt” because their elevated condo was spared when so many people lost everything.

“We try not to complain because we still have our home,” John said.

Florida power outage map:Track outages as Hurricane Helene approaches from Gulf of Mexico

Up to 18 inches of rain forecast for parts of Southeast

Helene is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 6 to 12 inches over a wide swath of the Southeast in coming days. Isolated rain totals will reach 18 inches. Jack Beven, a National Hurricane Center senior hurricane specialist, said those rains will result in “potentially life-threatening” flooding.

“Helene is strengthening and expected to bring catastrophic winds and storm surge to the northeastern Gulf Coast,” he warned. “Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion.”

Sandbox sand pressed into service as storm approaches

Emergency shipments of hurricane supplies have been flowing in all week at the Home Depot in Town ‘n’ Country, a community of more than 85,000 residents bordering the northern shore of Tampa Bay. By Thursday morning, the store’s supply of filled 50-pound sandbags had dwindled from 16 pallets to 3½ pallets, store manager Erica Jarmon said. In fact, those remaining bags were filled with play sand intended for children’s sandboxes.

“Some customers are even using bags of soil out in the garden department. Getting creative – whatever kind of barriers they can actually use,” Jarmon said, standing alongside her remaining sandbags. Other hurricane supplies: included generators, gas cans, flashlights, sump pumps, extension cords, blue tarps, plywood and more, Jarmon said.

“Fans are another big one, especially for mold, mildew, just trying to get any wet walls dried faster,” Jarmon said. “Bleach is another big one after the fact.”

− Rick Neale, Florida Today

Longtime resident listening to Helene warnings

The usually bustling Sea Hag Marina on Florida’s targeted Big Bend coast was mostly deserted Thursday ahead of Helene. Bobbi Patterson, 85, was moving anything that could get soaked − rugs, chairs, a sofa − from her home on the Steinhatchee River to another one she owns across the street. Patterson planned to evacuate to a motel in Gainesville. Her daughter, Susan Merritt, 63, was helping.

In the 40 years Patterson has owned her riverfront bungalow, it’s flooded twice. She said the media tends to overhype storms, but she’s taking this one seriously. Still, she said she hates to think she and her daughter were hauling furniture across the street for nothing.

“It’s pretty much stripped,” she said of her home on the river. “It better be something happens.”

Katrina survivors wary of Helene

If a house was built after 2004, according to Florida building code, it will be likely to withstand 115-mph winds. But if a home was built before 2004, Florida Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie urged people to “make decisions on solid information.”

With catastrophic storm surge expected along Florida’s coast, northern Gulf Coast residents Gene and Margaret Taylor understand better than anyone about the tragedy storm water can bring. As Hurricane Katrina approached in August 2005, the Taylor family fled their Gulf-front home in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, heading miles inland to his brother’s home. The now-legendary hurricane pulverized their home and community with a record-breaking 28-foot-storm surge.

Gene Taylor first thought his bare street looked like it did “when the French first arrived” in Mississippi during the late 1600s. “We could never have imagined the house would be gone,” he recalled. Read more here.

− Dinah Voyles Pulver

Contributing: Kyla A Sanford, Tarah Jean, Jeff Burlew and Ana Goñi-Lessan, Tallahassee Democrat; Reuters

Hurricane Helene makes landfall in Florida after 70,000+ flee

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