Hurricane Helene made landfall Thursday in northwestern Florida as a Category 4 storm as forecasters warned of “catastrophic” flooding along the Gulf Coast.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Helene roared ashore around 11:10 p.m. EDT near the Perry, Florida, in the Big Bend area of the state's Gulf Coast. It had maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (225 kph).
The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Helene roared ashore around 11:10 p.m. EDT near the Perry, Florida, in the Big Bend area of the state's Gulf Coast. It had maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (225 kph).
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NewsTranscript
00:00Well, good evening. We're here at the State Emergency Operations Center
00:03providing an update on Hurricane Helene. It is currently making landfall in
00:09Taylor County in the Big Bend section of Florida, Deckel Beach. It is a Category
00:164 storm with maximum sustained winds of 140 miles per hour. It is moving north
00:23northeast at 24 mile per hour. Hurricane force winds are extending up to
00:2960 miles from the center of the storm, and tropical storm force winds are
00:36extending 300 miles from the center of the storm. We have had a report of a
00:44fatality on the roadway. Car driving on I-4 near Ybor City in Tampa was hit
00:52when a sign fell onto the highway. Roads are dangerous due to the flooding
00:58debris, potential down lines. Do not risk it. We have numerous roads that FHP
01:05and DOT are responding to now that are underwater. Not only are we seeing it hit
01:11landfall here in northern Florida, you're still seeing a surge in water
01:16rising in parts of Florida far south from the Big Bend area. So you look at
01:23southwest Florida, you look at the Tampa Bay area, you're seeing really
01:27significant amounts of surge.