Some hurricane and tropical storm warnings lifted in Florida — however storm surge threat stays
Various hurricane and tropical storm warnings throughout Florida have been lifted or downgraded as Helene makes it manner north throughout Georgia, the National Hurricane stated in its 5 a.m. ET replace, which reclassified Helene as a tropical storm.
- Hurricane and tropical storm warnings have been discontinued alongside Florida’s east coast south of the Flagler-Volusia County line, the National Hurricane Center stated in a 5 a.m. replace.
- A hurricane warning throughout the northern Florida coast, from the mouth of the Suwannee River to Mexico Beach, has been downgraded to a tropical storm warning.
- A tropical storm warning protecting the Florida Gulf coast west of Indian Pass has ended.
- A storm surge warning for the Florida coast west of Indian Pass and south of Bonita Beach has additionally ended.
- A storm surge warning is nevertheless nonetheless in impact for Indian Pass to Bonita Beach, and Tampa Bay.
More than 2 million with out energy throughout south-eastern U.S.
The sheer extent of the harm attributable to Hurricane Helene will not change into clear till the solar comes up, however already the affected area’s energy community is in tatters, with 2 million at midnight.
In Florida, 1.2 million individuals are with out energy, in addition to 683,000 in Georgia and 242,000 in South Carolina, based on PowerOutage.us.
Helene hit final evening as a Category 4 storm, the second strongest attainable score on the Saffir-Simpson scale. The National Hurricane Center’s information to hurricane energy says that energy infrastructure may very well be broken for weeks and even months within the occasion of such a storm.
‘Life-threatening scenario’ as Helene strikes by Georgia
People in Georgia ought to proceed to shelter from Hurricane Helene and keep away from home windows throughout what the National Hurricane Center this morning referred to as a “harmful and life-threatening scenario.”
The NHC stated in a 4 a.m. ET replace that the storm was shifting quickly inland by the state, bringing winds of as much as 77 mph and heavy rain.
Tallahassee avoids the worst of Hurricane Helene because the storm weakens
Reporting from TALLAHASSEE, Florida
Hurricane Helene has eased to a Category 1 storm, however nonetheless poses an enormous risk throughout 12 states. NBC News’ Jay Gray experiences from Tallahassee, Florida, the place residents dodged a direct hit.