Hurricane Helene is very close to landfall near the Big Bend region of Florida, as a very dangerous Category 4 major hurricane. Preparations should have been completed for those that live in the path of Helene.

As of 11:00 p.m. EDT Thursday, Hurricane Helene was centered near 29.9°N 83.9°W, and was moving north-northeastward at approximately 24 mph. Maximum sustained winds were 120 knots (140 mph), with an estimated minimum pressure of 938 mb. The eye of Helene should make landfall in the next hour or two. Helene is a very large hurricane, with impacts extending far away from the eyewall. Helene is expected to turn to the northwest tomorrow, and rapidly become a post-tropical cyclone by tomorrow afternoon over eastern Tennessee. Helene is expected to cause a major inland flooding event over the Appalachian Mountains region, with localized rainfall amounts of up to 20 inches possible in some areas.