Helene became a hurricane on Wednesday. Residents of Florida are preparing for the arrival of the element, which will be accompanied by heavy rain and gusty winds. The governor of this state has declared a state of emergency in almost all counties.
Tropical Storm Helene strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane on the five-point, ascending Saffir-Simpson scale on Wednesday. On Wednesday evening, it was 480 miles (775 kilometers) from Tampa, Florida. It was packing sustained winds of 80 miles (130 kilometers) per hour, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.
Life-threatening conditions
As Hurricane Helene intensifies, it will become a major hurricane that will impact not only Florida but much of the Southeast US.
As CNN noted, “time is running out for those in the U.S. to prepare.” Thousands of Floridians have already been forced to evacuate, and nearly the entire state is under alerts. The storm is bringing heavy rainfall, damaging wind gusts and life-threatening storm surge.
Helene is on track to make landfall on the Florida Gulf Coast — likely in the Big Bend area — late Thursday. When it reaches the coast, it could become a Category 3 hurricane, greatly strengthened by the unusually warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
Helene is expected to be one of the largest hurricanes to hit the Gulf Coast in a century, according to hurricane expert Michael Lowry, which could pose a risk of larger storm surge and more widespread impacts, even if the center of the storm is located far from the coast.
Helene in satellite imagesNOAA
Preparing for the worst
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at least 3,000 Florida National Guard officers are ready to support Helene-related efforts, adding that the state has hundreds of Starlinks to deploy in case internet access is lost.
Authorities announced mandatory evacuations in parts of Pinellas, Hernando, Charlotte, Franklin, Gulf, Manatee and Sarasota counties. In Taylor County, the sheriff's office issued an evacuation order Tuesday evening for all residents and imposed a curfew from sunrise to sunset.
“This will be unlike anything we've ever experienced before,” the sheriff's office warned.
Flood warnings have been issued to at least 20 million people. The element may also affect parts of Georgia.
Hurricane Helene's Forecast PathNHC/NOAA
First effects of Helene in Mexico (25/09/2024)PAP/EPA/Alonso Cupul
Potentially the most powerful hurricane this year
CNN has predicted that Helene will become the fourth hurricane to make landfall in the United States this year and the fifth in Florida since 2022. Hurricanes Beryl, Debby, Ernesto and Francine have previously struck the United States.
PAP, CNN, Reuters, NOAA, The Weather Channel, tvnmeteo.pl
Main image source: NOAA