The National Hurricane Center issued a dire warning about Hurricane Helene on Thursday, advising residents in affected areas that “this is not a survivable event.”
Forecasters believe Hurricane Helene will reach Category 3 or 4 levels before making landfall Thursday evening; Hurricane-force winds (defined as sustained gusts of 74 mph or greater), as well as intense flooding, are expected for parts of the Florida panhandle and southern Georgia, as well as parts of Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. Winds in the eye wall can be much higher. Experts estimate that storm surge, the level of ocean water pushed ashore by winds, could reach as high as nearly 20 feet in the state's Big Bend region, where the panhandle meets the peninsula.
9/26 4:00 AM CDT: There is a danger of life-threatening storm surge #Helene A Storm Surge Warning is in effect along the west coast of the Florida Peninsula and the Florida Big Bend. Residents living in the warning area should follow local authorities' advice and evacuation orders. pic.twitter.com/XybAzNopuR
— NHC Storm Surge (@NHC_Surge) September 26, 2024
“They're probably talking about 18 meters [sic] storm surge,” Sen. Rick Scott said Thursday. “I'm just over five feet tall; that's three times my height. None of us are going through that… You're not going to survive it. I mean, you're not going to go through this stuff.
Flood potential map has been updated. High chances now extend to watching a long episode. https://t.co/Hk3pbO84Yf pic.twitter.com/scdqIFxMWh
— Mike's Weather Page (@tropicalupdate) September 26, 2024
Jared Miller, sheriff in Wakulla County, also warned: “This is not a survivable event for those living in coastal or low-lying areas. Please comply with evacuation orders as time is running out to do so.”
More than a dozen coastal areas are under some type of evacuation order:
the last one #Helene Evacuation map as of 9:30 am today. If you're planning to leave the panhandle/big bend and haven't done so yet, your escape window is quickly closing. #FLwx pic.twitter.com/A1YMYOxkJ
— Florida Tropics (@FloridaTropics1) September 26, 2024
The state's governor, Ron DeSantis, reiterated that now is the only time to evacuate. “You have time to get to the shelter, but you have to do it now,” he said. “Every minute that passes brings us one step closer to conditions that will make navigation very dangerous.”
Earlier Thursday, FEMA announced it was preparing a response to the storm, which it called a “multi-state event.” Florida's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission likewise warned that flooding could bring other risks besides water, such as bringing snakes and alligators into once-dry lands.