Hurricane Helene Getting 'Extremely Dangerous' Before Making U.S. Landfall

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09/25/2024 10:05 PM

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Hurricane Helene is getting "extremely dangerous" as it gets ready to make landfall in the United States.

The tropical storm turned hurricane is expected to be bumped up to a Category 4 hurricane before it makes landfall in Florida on Thursday. Hurricanes are categorized in five categories, getting more extreme with each level. Category 4 hurricanes can have winds between 131 to 155 mph, "extensive damage" to structures and storm surges of more than one feet, among other things. The hurricane is expected to make landfall in the Gulf Coast of Florida early on Thursday morning, as residents of the southern state bracing for impact.

The National Hurricane Center is warning of "catastrophic" impacts. Specifically, storm surges in Florida could reach "deadly" levels, as high as 20 feet above ground level.

A cloudy sunset is seen before the arrival of Hurricane Helene, in Steinhatchee, Florida, on September 25, 2024. Thousands of residents on Wednesday began evacuating parts of coastal Florida as the US state braces for Hurricane Helene, forecast to barrel ashore as a powerful, potentially deadly storm. Helene strengthened into a hurricane mid-morning in the Gulf of Mexico and is "expected to bring life-threatening storm surge, damaging winds, and flooding rains to a large portion of Florida and the Southeastern United States," the National Hurricane Center in Miami said in its latest bulletin. (Photo by Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo / AFP) (Photo by MIGUEL J. RODRIGUEZ CARRILLO/AFP via Getty Images)

MIGUEL J. RODRIGUEZ CARRILLO/Getty Images

Florida's Big Bend area, which is located in the northern part of the state where the Florida Panhandle transitions to the Florida Peninsula south and is just east of Tallahassee, could be hit the hardest.

"Damaging and life-threatening hurricane-force winds, especially in gusts, will penetrate well inland over portions of northern Florida and southern Georgia late Thursday and Thursday night," the Hurricane Center wrote.

This is what it could look like in the Big Bend area, according to reports on Wednesday.

The National Hurricane Center is now forecasting an "unsurvivable storm surge" of up to 20 feet from Hurricane Helene for the Big Bend of Florida. THIS is what that looks like... pic.twitter.com/acbUG3ceSb
— Nahel Belgherze (@WxNB_) September 25, 2024

Hurricane warnings are already in effect for much of Florida, including just north of Tampa to south of Panama City.

"Preparations to protect life and property from storm surge and damaging winds along the Florida Big Bend coast should be rushed to completion today," the Hurricane Center added on Wednesday afternoon.

Hurricane Helene could be the worst hurricane to hit the United States in more than a year. Our thoughts are with everyone in Florida and its surrounding areas as they brace for what could be a deadly storm.

Hurricane Helene Getting 'Extremely Dangerous' Before Making U.S. Landfall

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