Hurricane Helena is rapidly strengthening in the Gulf of Mexico, and forecasters say it could reach Category 4 status before making landfall.
Thousands of people are under mandatory evacuation orders, and strong winds and damage are expected in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee.
The intensifying hurricane, which they said threatens catastrophic, dangerous storm surges and flooding, is forecast to hit Florida’s Gulf Coast on Thursday, as thousands of residents have evacuated cities along the US state’s coast.
Helene strengthened into a hurricane mid-morning Wednesday in the Gulf of Mexico and “is expected to bring life-threatening storm surge, strong winds and flooding rains to much of Florida and parts of the southeastern United States,” according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
Wind speeds have increased to 137 km/h and are increasing as the storm moves north.
“Strengthening is forecast, and Helene is expected to be a major hurricane when it reaches the Florida Big Bend coast on Thursday evening,” the NHC added.
The storm also has the potential to “penetrate well inland,” it added. Several states are in a warning cone, and Atlanta, the capital of Georgia hundreds of miles from the Gulf of Mexico and whose region is home to five million people, is forecast to experience near-tropical storm-force winds and heavy rain by Friday.
President Joe Biden reported on the storm on Wednesday.
“The entire Biden-Harris administration stands ready to provide further assistance to Florida and other states in the path of the storm, as needed,” the White House said in a statement.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued a state of emergency for nearly all 67 Florida counties, including Miami-Dade. He mobilized the National Guard and positioned thousands of members to prepare for possible search and rescue operations and power system restoration.
