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The hurricane was forecast to make landfall at Category 4 strength.

Hurricane Helene has continued to grow in intensity with sustained winds of over 110mph, just hours away from its projected arrival near the Big Bend area of the Florida panhandle. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned locals that Helene could cause a “life-threatening” storm surge of up to 20 feet along the Gulf Coast, as Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for several counties along its projected path.

While Helene will make landfall this evening, with the outer edge of the storm arriving at about 7pm CST, heavy rains and gale force winds will likely precede it by several hours. This is due to its uncommonly large size, which the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration noted, stating Helene’s “wind field extends as far as 275 miles from its center.” The impact of the storm will reach as far inland as the Appalachian Mountains in Tennessee and North Carolina.

As of this afternoon, Helene is currently about 195 miles southwest of Tampa, and it’s growing stronger by the hour. The NHC’s 2pm EST advisory said it is “almost a major hurricane.” But don’t let the word “almost” fool you. While the catastrophic impact of Category 5 storms like Hurricane Michael, which completely destroyed some parts of Florida’s Gulf Coast in 2018, is a worst-case scenario, a Category 4 hurricane can still be incredibly devastating.

The National Weather Service has warned that Helene could bring as much as 18” of rainfall as far north as Tallahassee, all but guaranteeing flash flooding in lowland areas. In addition to win, rain and storm surge, there will be an increased threat of tornadoes throughout the Southeast.

“The risk for several tornadoes will gradually increase today through tonight,” according to the NHC. “The greatest threat is expected from parts of northern Florida into southeast Georgia, the Midlands and Low Country of South Carolina, and southern North Carolina.”

At the White House, FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell urged citizens in Helene’s projected path to heed warnings from state and local officials. “I need everybody to pay attention to their local officials,” Criswell stated. “They are going to have the best information on the specific risks where you are at.”

Criswell pointed out that during 2022’s Hurricane Ian, the storm surge reached 14 feet high, and left 150 people dead from drowning or collapsed buildings. She closed her remarks by saying “Please take this threat from storm surge seriously.”