CRAWFORDVILLE, Fla. — Hurricane Helene Strikes with Devastating Force

CRAWFORDVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The powerful Hurricane Helene made a terrifying landfall on Thursday night in northwestern Florida, registering as a Category 4 storm. Meteorologists cautioned that this colossal weather system has the potential to create an unprecedented “nightmare” storm surge, coupled with dangerous winds and torrential rains across a wide swath of the southeastern United States.

Landfall and Impact

The National Hurricane Center, located in Miami, reported that Helene turbocharged ashore around 11:10 p.m. EDT at the mouth of the Aucilla River, situated in the Big Bend area of Florida’s Gulf Coast. The storm came with terrifying maximum sustained winds estimated at an astonishing 140 mph (225 kph). Remarkably, this location lies only about 20 miles northwest from where Hurricane Idalia devastated the area last year, exhibiting a similar ferocity and resulting in extensive damage.

Warnings and Emergency Measures

In anticipation of Helene’s arrival, authorities issued hurricane and flash flood warnings that transcended the coastline, extending into northern Georgia and western North Carolina. As a direct consequence, more than a million homes and businesses found themselves without power in Florida, alongside over 50,000 outages reported in Georgia, according to the tracking website poweroutage.us. In response to the impending disaster, the governors of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, the Carolinas, and Virginia declared states of emergency, mobilizing resources and preparations.

Tragedy Amidst the Chaos

Tragically, at least one person was killed in Florida due to a falling sign striking their vehicle, while reports emerged of two potential fatalities caused by a tornado in southern Georgia as the storm approached. “When Floridians wake up tomorrow morning,” remarked Florida Governor Ron DeSantis during a news conference Thursday night, “we’re going to find a state likely exhibiting increased loss of life and certainly significant property damage.”

Extreme Weather Warnings

The National Weather Service in Tallahassee issued a warning of “extreme winds” for the Big Bend region as the storm’s eyewall drew near: “Treat this warning like a tornado warning,” it emphasized in a post on X. The service advised residents to take shelter in the innermost part of their homes and hunker down until the storm passed.

Preparedness and Response

Even prior to Helene’s landfall, the storm’s impact was felt far and wide, with sustained tropical storm-force winds and hurricane-force gusts reported along Florida’s western coastline. Water began to overflow onto roads in Siesta Key, just south of Sarasota, inundating several intersections in St. Pete Beach. Additionally, lumber and debris previously stranded by a fire in Cedar Key washed ashore, propelled by rising waters.

Further Flooding Threats

Over and above Florida, the storm produced up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain in the North Carolina mountains, with forecasts suggesting an additional 14 inches (36 centimeters) could fall before the rain subsided. This weighty precipitation raised alarms of potentially historic flooding, with experts warning that conditions could surpass anything experienced in the last century.

Fatal Incidents and Tornado Threats

In south Georgia, incidents of severe weather escalated into tragedy as two individuals died when a possible tornado impacted a mobile home late Thursday night. Wheeler County Sheriff Randy Rigdon relayed this heartbreaking news via WMAZ-TV. Damage across the area was compounded by heavy storms impacting a significant portion of the state. The National Weather Service had issued a tornado warning for Wheeler County at 8:47 p.m. Thursday, one of twelve warnings for various parts of Georgia during the day.

A Context of Caution

Helene made landfall within the sparsely populated Big Bend area, known for its quaint fishing villages and vacation getaways situated where Florida’s Panhandle meets the peninsula. The local sheriff’s office in predominantly rural Taylor County cautioned non-evacuating citizens to write vital information on their arms or legs using permanent markers to assist in identification should they face calamity.

Heeding Evacuation Orders

Most residents made the wise choice to adhere to the mandatory evacuation orders that extended from the Panhandle downward along the Gulf Coast, especially in low-lying regions around Tallahassee, Gainesville, Cedar Key, Lake City, Tampa, and Sarasota. One evacuee, Sharonda Davis, expressed concern at a Tallahassee shelter about her mobile home’s ability to withstand hurricane winds. She noted, “The hurricane’s size is scarier than anything because it’s the aftermath that we’re going to have to face.”

Search and Rescue Preparations

Federal authorities are currently staging search-and-rescue teams as weather services predict potential storm surges as high as 20 feet (6 meters). Officials also warned that such surges could create “catastrophic and unsurvivable” scenarios in Apalachee Bay. “Please, please, please take any evacuation orders seriously!” the office urged citizens, characterizing the anticipated surge scenario as a true “nightmare.”

Guidance for Hurricane Preparedness

In light of the impending disaster, emergency management director Jaime Hernandez emphasizes three critical preparedness steps: make a plan, have an emergency kit, and stay informed. Residents are advised to gather supplies beforehand, including non-perishable food items and water to sustain them if power is lost and resources run short in their communities. It is also crucial to ensure that medical necessities and medications are readily available. According to Hernandez, “The rule of thumb is to have 1 gallon (3.8 liters) of water per day per person for around seven days. Additionally, having cash on hand is wise since ATMs may become inoperable.”

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The Forgotten Coast’s Serenity and Vulnerability

This idyllic stretch of Florida, affectionately nicknamed the Forgotten Coast, has enjoyed relative peace, largely escaping the extensive condo developments and commercialization that often characterize many of Florida’s coastal communities. It is cherished for its natural beauty featuring vast stretches of salt marshes, tidal pools, and barrier islands. However, local residents recognize the peril that hurricanes pose to their livelihoods and homes. As local resident Anthony Godwin, 20, shared, “You live down here, you run the risk of losing everything to a bad storm,” while preparing to evacuate to his sister’s residence in Pensacola.

Disruption of Normal Life

As the storm escalated, school districts across the area, along with multiple universities, opted to cancel classes. Airports in Tampa, Tallahassee, and Clearwater ground operations to a halt on Thursday, with widespread cancellations permeating the air travel network throughout Florida and beyond.

The Aftermath and Ongoing Threat

While forecasters anticipate Helene to weaken as it journeys inland, they warn that its damaging winds and heavy rain will extend into the southern Appalachian Mountains, where landslides remain a formidable concern. The hurricane center has advised that much of the affected regions could experience prolonged power failures and flooding. States such as Tennessee are poised for deluge, compounding the storm’s impacts.

International Risks and Preparations

In its recent journey, Helene already affected parts of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, flooding streets and uprooting trees as it glided offshore, leaving its mark on the resort city of Cancun. In western Cuba, power was knocked out for over 200,000 homes and businesses as the storm grazed the island. Areas situated 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of the Georgia-Florida border braced for hurricane conditions, prompting state officials to open parks for evacuees and their pets, including horses. Overnight curfews were enacted in numerous cities and counties in southern Georgia.

A Call for Vigilance

“This is one of the biggest storms we’ve ever had,” stated Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, reinforcing the urgent need for vigilance and readiness among residents. As the storm’s effects reverberate, attention remains fixed on ensuring safety and aiding recovery efforts.

Forecasts and Projections

For Atlanta, Meteorology Professor Marshall Shepherd from the University of Georgia cautioned that Helene could represent the most significant strike on a major Southern city in 35 years. Helene stands as the eighth named storm of the ongoing Atlantic hurricane season, which commenced on June 1. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted a more active than usual hurricane season this year, attributing this projection to record-high ocean temperatures.

Conclusion

Meanwhile, on the Pacific side of storm activity, former Hurricane John reformed as a tropical storm and regained hurricane strength as of Thursday, threatening communities along Mexico’s western coast with flash floods and mudslides. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador confirmed John’s death toll, which has reached five, as localities braced for the storm’s imminent second landfall.

Hollingsworth reported from Kansas City, Missouri. Associated Press journalists contributed from various locations, reinforcing the complexity of the storm’s reach.