ST. MARKS, Fla. – Helene, which had been a powerful Category 4 hurricane, weakened to a tropical storm as it tore through Georgia early Friday, leaving behind a trail of destruction. The storm has caused life-threatening flooding in Atlanta and the Carolinas and knocked out power to millions of people after making landfall in northwest Florida.
Helene made landfall at approximately 11:10 p.m. ET near Perry, Florida, on Thursday with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph. This makes Helene the first recorded Category 4 storm to strike Florida’s Big Bend region since official records began in 1851.
For hours after landfall, Helene retained hurricane strength as it moved inland, cutting through northern Florida and into Georgia. By 8 a.m. ET Friday, the National Hurricane Center reported that the storm had downgraded to a tropical storm with sustained winds of 60 mph. Moving at 30 mph, Helene’s center was positioned 35 miles south-southwest of Clemson, South Carolina, and 80 miles east-northeast of Atlanta.
At least six fatalities have been reported across Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina due to storm-related incidents. Emergency responders across the Southeast have been engaged in rescues as people became stranded in rising floodwaters. The storm’s torrential rains drenched much of the region, leaving over 3.5 million homes and businesses without electricity, stretching from Florida to the Carolinas and Virginia.
Key Developments:
- All hurricane and tropical storm warnings for Florida’s east coast, south of the Flagler and Volusia county line, and for the west coast, south of the mouth of the Suwannee River, have been discontinued, according to the National Hurricane Center.
- Helene is now considered one of the top 14 most powerful hurricanes to strike the U.S. since record-keeping began and the seventh strongest to impact Florida, based on National Hurricane Center data.
- In Tallahassee, the storm downed trees, blocking more than 50 roads, and over 53,000 homes and businesses were left without power, according to the city’s post on X (formerly Twitter).
With the storm continuing to batter parts of the Southeast, officials are urging residents to remain cautious and stay informed about the storm’s path as rescue and recovery efforts are underway.
