TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Hurricane Helene has now made landfall and we're keeping your family updated with the latest forecast models, safety information, and emergency response updates all in one place.
Friday 6:22 p.m.
One Steinhatchee River area resident was forced to release their family chickens before reportedly seeing water levels reach up to 12 feet. @kendallbrandttv reports that at least one of their feathered family members survived the storm. pic.twitter.com/OGAPC6WFQ3
— ABC 27 (@abc27) September 27, 2024
Friday 6:00 p.m.
Hurricane Helene left more than 6,000 homes without power in Thomasville. ABC27’s Layan Abu Tarboush talks with neighbors in the area that lost power due to the storm.
Friday 5:30 p.m.
ABC27’s Terry Gilliam is talking with community members following Hurricane Helene which left flooded roads and tree limbs on power lines in the Jake Gaither Neighborhood.
Friday 5:10 p.m.
Leon County officials announced that they have expanded the hours of their Rural Waste Centers following Hurricane Helene and have posted the following information:
“Starting Saturday, September 28, the County’s Rural Waste Service Centers will expand its hours to the following until further notice”:
- Saturday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Residents can visit the following centers:
- Woodville, 549 Henry Jones Road
- Fort Braden, 2485 East Joe Thomas Road
- Miccosukee, 13051 Miccosukee Road
Friday 4:37 p.m.
The city of Tallahassee posted the following video that shows the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in an apartment complex. “I heard a loud crack and looked over and saw a massive tree coming down, it almost seemed [like it was in] slow motion,” an apartment complex neighbor recounts what she saw from her doorstep.
Preparation and kindness are key during hurricane recovery. So grateful to see members of our community helping one another in times of need. #Helene pic.twitter.com/9NlA9Bp0bc
— City of Tallahassee (@CityofTLH) September 27, 2024
Friday 3:20 p.m.
Tallahassee has restored power to 77% of customers affected by Hurricane Helene— more than 30,000 people have had power restored so far.
Friday 3:00 p.m.
Leon County Schools have closed their shelters and are now pivoting to ensuring that schools are ready to reopen on Monday.
Friday 1:40 p.m.
The Wakulla County Sheriff's Office has announced that the evacuation order for Wakulla County has been lifted and residents can return to their homes.
Friday 1:00 p.m.
Taylor County Sheriff's Office Division of Emergency Management has search and rescue teams deployed. To assist in these missions, they are asking people to stay away from the areas most impacted by Helene.
Perry residents are assessing damage to their homes today.
Friday 9:34 a.m.
Authorities rescued people trapped by floodwaters and more than 3 million customers were in the dark across much of the southeastern U.S. as Hurricane Helene weakened to a tropical storm over Georgia early Friday after making landfall overnight in northwestern Florida as a Category 4 storm.
Helene came ashore amid warnings from the National Hurricane Center that the enormous system could create a “nightmare” storm surge. There were at least four storm-related deaths.
Friday 9:20 a.m.
Rhonda Bell and her husband were spending a sleepless night in the downstairs bedroom of their century-old home just outside Valdosta, Georgia, when Helene’s center passed early Friday in the hours after midnight.
The winds broke off tree limbs, tore away neighbors’ roof shingles and knocked down fence panels in the neighborhood with train tracks along one edge. Then came a crashing sound louder than the rest.
“I just felt the whole house shake,” Bell said after daybreak Friday.
A towering oak tree outside the house smashed through the roof of an upstairs bedroom and collapsed onto the living room below. The massive tree roots popped out of the ground, leaving a gaping muddy hole.
“ Thank God we’re both alive to tell about it,” Bell said.
Friday 9:15 a.m.
Faisal Bakkal, an employee of a Marathon gas station, looks at the damage in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Perry, Fla., Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Friday 9:00 a.m.
Many parts of Florida experienced unprecedented storm surges during Hurricane Helene. Some areas across the state hit new record highs for storm surge levels.
Hurricane Center
Record-breaking storm surge hits Florida
Friday 8:15 a.m.
Friday 8:00 a.m.
Friday 7:45 a.m.
CRAWFORDVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Authorities are rescuing people trapped by floodwaters and more than 3 million customers are in the dark across much of the southeastern U.S. as Hurricane Helene weakens to a tropical storm over Georgia early Friday.
The storm made landfall in northwestern Florida as a Category 4 storm overnight amid warnings from the National Hurricane Center that the enormous system could create a “nightmare” storm surge.
There were at least three storm-related deaths. Hurricane warnings and flash flood warnings extend far beyond the coast up into northern Georgia and western North Carolina.
Friday 7:30 a.m.
Friday 7:15 a.m.
Friday 7:00 a.m.
"We did find out from the state that there was at least one storm-related fatality here in Florida. We know of two others up in Georgia, those were connected to tornadoes that touched down. But here in Florida, one fatality that happened in Ybor City or just outside of it on I-4. It sounds like a car that was on the road there was hit by a road sign that came down as it was driving."
In Your Neighborhood
Gov. DeSantis warns 'additional loss of life' likely after Helene hits Florida
Friday 6:15 a.m.
Helene update from the Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee, Florida.
"A lot of people in this community are obviously breathing a sigh of relief. The big reason why, of course, is because Helene did not make a direct impact on the capital city. There was a lot of expectation leading up to this storm that we would see unprecedented damage. That didn't happen. Doesn't mean that there isn't damage here in Tallahassee, there are still a lot of trees down there, a lot of roads that are clogged with that kind of debris, and the crews are now starting that effort to try and clean things up. There is some damage to homes as well. I don't want to discount that, but this is nowhere near the level of what we were expecting originally. So that is some good news.
But the bad news is, of course, what didn't happen here in Tallahassee has happened in other parts of the state. The Big Bend region, got a huge swath of damage. Just nasty stuff out there in some parts of the state. If you're looking at the power outages map overall right now, you're seeing about 1.2 million customers that are without power. And the problem is it's going to be tough to get out there and fix all of that, because a lot of those roads are clogged with debris, just like here in Tallahassee, some of the main highways, some of the interstates still have trees down, and that stuff needs to be moved out of the way before a lineman can get out there.
"We did find out from the state that there was at least one storm-related fatality here in Florida. We know of two others up in Georgia, those were connected to tornadoes that touched down. But here in Florida, one fatality that happened in Ybor City or just outside of it on I-4. It sounds like a car that was on the road there was hit by a road sign that came down as it was driving."
Friday 5:45 a.m.
CRAWFORDVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Hurricane Helene has weakened to a Tropical Storm over Georgia with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph. The National Hurricane Center says Helene continues to weaken while moving further inland over Georgia.
The storm was about 40 miles east of Macon and about 100 miles southeast of Atlanta, moving north at 30 mph at 5 a.m. The center says Helene came ashore Thursday evening in the Big Bend area of Florida’s Gulf Coast. Officials have forecast storm surges of up to 20 feet and warned they could be particularly “catastrophic and unsurvivable” in Florida’s Apalachee Bay.
Hurricane warnings and flash flood warnings extend far beyond the coast up into northern Georgia and western North Carolina.
At least three deaths have been reported.
Friday 5:30 a.m.
Elizabeth Copeland provides power update in Tallahassee, Florida after Hurricane Helene
Friday 5:00 a.m.
Alberto Camargo provides Hurricane Helene update from Northwest Tallahassee
Friday 5:00 a.m.
Maya Sargent provides a Hurricane Helene update from Perry, Florida
Friday 4:00 a.m.
Taylor County Emergency Management is urging people to stay off the roads this morning until officials indicate that it's safe to do so.
Friday 3:45 a.m.
A tractor-trailer left the eastbound lanes of I-10 at mile marker 217. Florida Highway Patrol is reporting several roadways and highway lanes blocked by debris.
Friday 3:00 a.m.
There are several highways and roadways blocked by fallen trees in the Big Bend. East of Tallahassee, westbound lanes of I-10 are blocked. A photo taken by Tim Marshall shows Good Samaritans cutting and removing trees.
Friday 2:30 a.m.
Hurricane Helene has weakened to a Category 1 storm as it continues to move north. See the latest forecast in the video player below.
Friday 1:15 a.m.
Neighborhood reporter Kenya Cardonne spotted a tin roof torn from a building in Live Oak during Hurricane Helene.
Friday 1:03 a.m.
The Lowndes County Emergency Operations Center camera caught sparks and flashes as Helene moves into Valdosta.
Friday 12:35 a.m.
We're seeing the first images and videos of damage from Hurricane Helene.
In Perry, a hotel sustained damage from strong winds from the storm.
In Midtown Tallahassee, a tree fell on a home.
Friday 12:25 a.m.
Premilinary reports from the National Weather Service indicate that the storm surge on the Steinhatchee River has reached 9.6 feet, breaking the record set during Hurricane Idalia last year.
Thursday 11:37 p.m.
Thousands of power outages are being reported across our neighborhoods. You can find the latest information on outages by using the links at the top of this page.
Thursday 11:25 p.m.
BREAKING: According to the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Helene has officially made landfall southwest of Perry as a category 4 storm.
🌀 Hurricane #Helene officially has made landfall in the Big Bend region as a Category 4 hurricane.
— FL Division of Emergency Management (@FLSERT) September 27, 2024
Residents should continue to shelter in place & remain vigilant!
Deadly hazards & conditions are present well into Friday morning as the storm continues to move further inland.
Thursday 11:16 p.m.
Governor Ron Desantis is giving an update on Hurricane Helene as the storm nears official landfall:
Thursday 11:10 p.m.
The National Hurricane Center issues its latest advisory as Hurricane Helene nears landfall:
Hurricane #Helene Advisory 15: Hurricane Helene Very Close to Making Landfall in the Florida Big Bend. Accompanied By a Catastrophic Storm Surge and Life-Threatening Winds. https://t.co/tW4KeGe9uJ
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) September 27, 2024
Thursday 10:50 p.m.
WATCH: The power goes out during a live report from WTXL's Kenzie Krueger as wind and rain hit Crawfordville:
Thursday 10:30 p.m.
WTXL's Ashley Engle interviews a Bed and Breakfast owner who says he has guests coming to stay for a wedding who still haven't canceled their reservations:
Thursday 10:15 p.m.
Right now, the City of Tallahassee is reporting more than 3,600 power outages. For the latest power outage information, use the links at the top of this page.
Thursday 10:00 p.m.
The wind and rain are picking up in some areas. You can see conditions deteriorating in Live Oak in this report from WTXL's Kenya Cardonne:
Thursday 9:40 p.m.
Officials are warning the public about high winds as Hurricane Helene inches closer. Forrest Saunders reports on the potential damage that wind could cause:
Thursday 9:15 p.m.
An extreme wind warning has been issued for the Big Bend:
9PM EDT
— NWS Tallahassee (@NWSTallahassee) September 27, 2024
An Extreme Wind Warning has been issued for the Florida Big Bend. This means to expect high winds of 115 mph or greater due to the eyewall of a major hurricane. Treat this warning like a tornado warning. Take shelter in the most interior room and hunker down!#FLwx https://t.co/l3i5TxKZLy pic.twitter.com/tWzjyoKp7k
Thursday 9:00 p.m.
Power outages update:
-City of Tallahassee: 450+ customers without power
-Talquin Electric: 800+ customers without power in Wakulla County
-Duke Energy: 211 outages near Crawfordville and 2,000 outages in Franklin County
Thursday 8:31 p.m.
Conditions continue to deteriorate across the Big Bend region. Here's a look at the roads from our crew traveling from Taylor County to Suwannee County:
Thursday 8:14 p.m.
People and pets continue to arrive at the emergency shelters provided by Leon County Schools.
Update: 1,652 individuals and staff in LCS shelters right now. 234 pets. pic.twitter.com/7WUQV7eq3x
— Leon County Schools (@LeonSchools) September 26, 2024
Thursday 8:00 p.m.
A tornado watch has been issued for many Florida counties, including some in the Big Bend region, and many counties in south Georgia.
A tornado watch has been issued for parts of Florida and Georgia until 6 AM EDT pic.twitter.com/XMGOtQ9cjE
— NWS Tornado (@NWStornado) September 26, 2024
Thursday 7:50 p.m.
Power outages update: Duke Energy is reporting 178 customers without power just south of Crawfordville and 430 customers without power near Eastpoint.
Thursday 7:43 p.m.
According to the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, Poplar Springs Rd. (south of Black Rd.) and Caverns Rd. (near Marianna K-8) are both impassable due to water over the road. You should never drive through standing water on the road.
Thursday 7:30 p.m.
Hundreds of new power outages have now been reported in Tallahassee. According to the City of Tallahassee, 345 customers are now without power near Park Avenue East.
Thursday 7:21 p.m.
Officials with Leon County Schools say many people, and pets, are using their emergency shelters:
1,235 individuals (including LCS employees) and 192 pets currently sheltering on a Leon Schools Campus. Thank you to our staff for managing each site. They are truly serving our community in time of need.
— Leon County Schools (@LeonSchools) September 26, 2024
Thursday 7:14 p.m.
Lowndes County EMA is now urging people in mobile homes to move to one of the emergency shelters open in the county.
Thursday 7:05 p.m.
Conditions continue to deteriorate in Wakulla County due to Hurricane Helene. You can see the high winds and choppy water in this report from WTXL's Kenzie Krueger:
Thursday 6:45 p.m.
BREAKING: Helene has now strengthened to a category 4 hurricane:
Thursday 6:30 p.m.
Conditions are starting to worsen in Steinhatchee as Hurricane Helene approaches. Watch this update from WTXL's Kenya Cardonne:
Thursday 6:15 p.m.
Power outage update: According to the City of Tallahassee, 1,490 customers are now without power in the northern area of Tallahassee near N. Meridian Rd.
Thursday 5:58 p.m.
We are beginning to see some power outages in Wakulla County. According to Talquin Electric, 639 customers have lost power in the Shadeville area. We will continue to update power outage numbers as Hurricane Helene moves through the Big Bend.
Thursday 5:50 p.m.
Here's the latest update from Governor Ron Desantis on Hurricane Helene:
Thursday 5:45 p.m.
Lowndes County EMA officials say Hurricane Helene has shifted east and the whole county is now in the direct path of the storm:
Thursday 5:35 p.m.
Now is the time to get to a safe place as Hurricane Helene approaches. There are shelters open across the Big Bend region. You can find more information here: https://www.wtxl.com/weather/hurricane-center/live-updates-shelters-opening-as-evacuation-orders-are-issued-ahead-of-tropical-storm-helene
Thursday 5:25 p.m.
Here's a look at the worsening conditions in Wakulla County from WTXL's Kenzie Krueger:
Thursday 5:11 p.m.
The National Hurricane Center has just issued the latest update on the strength of Hurricane Helene and where the storm is heading:
Thursday 4:55 p.m.
Right now, we are monitoring power outages, and there are no major updates to report at this time. You can find the latest power outage information on this live blog as Hurricane Helene approaches.
WTXL's Ashley Engle spoke with the Jefferson County Sheriff about how his department is preparing for outages:
Thursday 4:37 p.m.
Many local schools have announced they will be closed tomorrow due to the expected impact from Hurricane Helene.
You can find the latest information on closures here: https://www.wtxl.com/weather/hurricane-center/developing-school-systems-closing-ahead-of-storm-see-which-districts-are-affected
Thursday 4:20 p.m.
Hurricane Helene continues to inch closer to the Big Bend. Here's the latest forecast from Chief Meteorologist Casanova Nurse:
Thursday 3:47 p.m.
ABC 27's Alberto Camargo spoke with FSU students about how they are preparing for Hurricane Helene, and a shelter that is open to currently enrolled students:
Thursday 3:30 p.m.
The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Warning including Wewahitchka, Beacon Hill, and Kinard until 4:45 p.m:
Flash Flood Warning including Wewahitchka FL, Beacon Hill FL and Kinard FL until 4:45 PM CDT pic.twitter.com/oNNSbDW97j
— NWS Tallahassee (@NWSTallahassee) September 26, 2024
Thursday 3:15 p.m.
Following Governor DeSantis’ authorization, the Florida National Guard has activated approximately 3,600 Guardsmen in support of Hurricane Helene response efforts and are pre-staging forces throughout the state to ensure we can quickly response after the storm makes landfall.
The FLNG has positioned Liaison Officers in 18 counties and has positioned seven route clearance teams for immediate action following the hurricane's landfall. Additionally, our aviation assets are positioned and ready for immediate engagement upon weather clearance.
Thursday 2:35 p.m.
In compliance with O.C.G.A 38-3-28, Bainbridge Public Safety will be enforcing a curfew for the City of Bainbridge. Please shelter in place beginning Thursday, September 26th at 6:00 p.m. to Friday,
Thursday, 2:30 p.m.
The National Hurricane Center says Hurricane Helene is now a major, Category 3 storm with winds near 120 mph. Additional strengthening is expected before the storm makes landfall in the Florida Big Bend this evening.
Thursday, 1:20 p.m.
StarMetro will suspend all service at 2 p.m. Thursday.
The City's @RideStarMetro will suspend service at 2 p.m. today, 9/26. Operations will resume when it is safe to do so. pic.twitter.com/TantbHjluB
— City of Tallahassee (@CityofTLH) September 26, 2024
Thursday, 1:00 p.m.
Hurricane Helene is making its way up the Gulf and is expected to make landfall Thursday evening as a Category 3 storm. Watch the video player below for the latest forecast from meteorologist Riley Winch:
