In Florida, more than 38,000 people lack power

As Hurricane Helene gets closer to landfall, more than 38,000 customers in Florida have lost power thus far.

Governor warns that flooding in North Carolina might be disastrous.

Helene is a very dangerous storm that could bring severe rain and possibly catastrophic flooding to central and western North Carolina on Thursday night and Friday, according to Governor Roy Cooper of North Carolina.

Even though Charlotte is not directly in the path of Hurricane Helene, experts warn that the storm may still bring more than one foot of rain to regions of western North Carolina.

North Carolina is among the states in President Joe Biden's approved list of states for which an emergency declaration has been issued.

most recent prediction

By 8 p.m. on Thursday, Helene is expected to intensify into a powerful Category 3 hurricane with gusts of 120 mph.

Southeast of Tallahassee, landfall is anticipated on Thursday night between 10 p.m. and midnight.

Fast-moving Hurricane Helene will drive heavy winds inland to northern Georgia after making landfall.

From northern Georgia to Asheville, North Carolina, catastrophic flash flooding poses a serious threat on Friday morning. A different storm has already dumped up to 6 inches of rain in that area in the past 24 hours, and Helene may add another 10 to 20 inches.

Over the weekend, the Tennessee, Ohio, and Mississippi River valleys will see the remains of Hurricane Helene stall. It's possible for Tennessee, Kentucky, and Arkansas to flood.

More than 1,000 flights were canceled

As Hurricane Helene approaches the country, airlines have canceled more than 1,000 flights.

Tampa International Airport, Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers, and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport are the airports most affected.

On Thursday, the airports at Tampa International, Tallahassee International, and St. Pete-Clearwater International are all closed.

Huge Hurricane Helene is getting closer to Category 3 winds

Now that Helene is speeding toward the Florida Panhandle, she is a Category 2 hurricane with winds of 105 mph.

A storm is classified as a Category 3 hurricane when its winds surpass 111 mph, making it a major hurricane.

It is predicted that Helene will make landfall on Thursday night as a Category 3 storm with 120 mph gusts, perhaps between 10 p.m. and midnight.

The National Hurricane Center issued a warning because Helene is "very large," meaning that its rain, wind, and storm surge "will extend far away from the center and well outside the forecast cone, particularly on the east side."

"Comparing the system with previous hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico over the past couple of decades, Helene is at the upper bound in terms of size," the National Hurricane Center stated.

Residents in evacuation zones in North Florida should depart immediately: The Governor

Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida issued an evacuation order on Thursday morning, telling residents in North Florida that they should leave immediately as Hurricane Helene's outer bands are getting closer to the coast.

Uber and the Florida Division of Emergency Management have teamed to offer free transportation to shelters for residents of Florida under a state of emergency. According to officials, riders can enter the code HeleneRelief.

According to officials, at least 80 healthcare facilities, including hospitals and assisted living centers, are being evacuated.

Falling trees are one of the main risks, according to DeSantis. If someone hears cracking in the woods, he advised them to seek cover.

"Catastrophic" floods is anticipated

The Southeast is expected to receive six to twelve inches of rain from Hurricane Helene, with isolated totals of up to eighteen inches.

The National Hurricane Center issued a warning that the heavy rain might result in "catastrophic and potentially life-threatening" floods.

What is storm surge awareness

Because Helene is a big storm, the entire Florida Peninsula's west coast might see potentially fatal storm surges.

In the Florida Panhandle, storm surge may be as high as fifteen or twenty feet. Storm surges of 4 to 8 feet are possible in the Tampa area.

Hurricane Helen turns into a powerful storm and heads toward Florida

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