Fast-moving
Hurricane Helene was advancing Thursday across the Gulf of Mexico toward
Florida, threatening an “unsurvivable” storm surge in northwestern parts of the
state as well as damaging winds, rains and flash floods hundreds of miles
inland across much of the southeastern U.S., the National Weather Service in
Tallahassee said.
Helene
is expected to be a major hurricane — meaning a Category 3 or higher — when it
makes landfall on Florida’s northwestern coast Thursday evening. As of early
Thursday, hurricane warnings and flash flood warnings extended far beyond the
coast up into south-central Georgia. The governors of Florida, Georgia, and the
Carolinas have all declared emergencies in their states.
The
weather service forecast storm surges of up to 20 feet (6 meters) and warned
they could be particularly “catastrophic and life-threatening” in Florida’s
Apalachee Bay. It added that high winds and heavy rains also posed risks.
“This
forecast, if realized, is a nightmare surge scenario for Apalachee Bay,” the
office said. “Please, please, please take any evacuation orders seriously!”
In
Crawfordville, farther inland and about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northwest of
Apalachee Bay, Christine Nazworth stocked up on bottled water, baked goods and
premade meals at a Walmart. She said her family would be sheltering in place,
despite Wakulla County issuing a mandatory evacuation order.
“I’m
prayed up,” she said. “Lord have mercy on us. And everybody else that might be
in its path.”
Wakulla
County was one of several to issue evacuation orders. Along Florida’s Gulf
Coast, school districts and multiple universities have cancelled classes.
Early
Thursday, Helene was about 350 miles (560 kilometers) southwest of Tampa and
moving north northeast at 12 mph (19 kph) with top sustained winds of 90 mph
(150 kph). Forecasters said it should become a major Category 3 or higher
hurricane, meaning winds would top 110 mph (177 kph).
While
Helene will likely weaken as it moves inland, its “fast forward speed will
allow strong, damaging winds, especially in gusts, to penetrate well inland
across the southeastern United States,” including in the southern Appalachian
Mountains, the National Hurricane Center said. The center posted lesser
tropical storm warnings as far north as North Carolina, and warned that much of
the region could experience prolonged power outages, toppled trees and
dangerous flooding.
Helene
had swamped parts of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula on Wednesday, flooding streets
and toppling trees as it passed offshore and brushed the resort city of Cancun.
The
storm formed Tuesday in the Caribbean Sea. In Cuba, the government preventively
shut off power in some communities as waves as high as 16 feet (5 meters)
slammed Cortes Bay. And in the Cayman Islands, schools closed and residents
pumped water from flooded homes.
Rain
was already falling steadily in Atlanta on Wednesday evening as shoppers
emptied shelves of water at a Kroger supermarket east of downtown. The National
Weather Service in Atlanta issued flash flood warnings for much of the state.
Charles
McComb said he still found it hard to believe Helene would seriously impact the
city, which is more than 250 miles (400 kilometers) north of the Gulf of
Mexico. “It would be really unique for it to hit so far inland,” Charles said
as he bought water, bread and lunch meat.
He
was, however, worried about losing electricity.
“I
do live in an area where it doesn’t take so much for the power to go out,” he
said.
Helene
is forecast to be one of the largest storms in breadth in years to hit the
region, said Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach. He
said since 1988, only three Gulf hurricanes were bigger than Helene’s predicted
size: 2017’s Irma, 2005’s Wilma and 1995’s Opal.
Areas
100 miles (160 kilometers) north of the Georgia-Florida line can expect
hurricane conditions. More than half of Georgia’s public school districts and
several universities canceled classes.
For
Atlanta, Helene could be the worst strike on a major Southern inland city in 35
years, said University of Georgia meteorology professor Marshall Shepherd.
Landslides
were possible in southern Appalachia, and rainfall was expected as far away as
Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana.
Federal
authorities have positioned generators, food and water, along with
search-and-rescue and power restoration teams.
Helene
is the eighth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which began June 1.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted an above-average
Atlantic hurricane season this year because of record-warm ocean temperatures.
In
further storm activity, Tropical Storm Isaac formed Wednesday in the Atlantic
and was expected to strengthen as it moves eastward across the open ocean,
possibly becoming a hurricane by the end of the week, forecasters said. Isaac
was about 690 miles (1,115 kilometers) northeast of Bermuda with top sustained
winds of 50 mph (85 kph), according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center in
Miami, which said its swells and winds could affect parts of Bermuda and
eventually the Azores by the weekend.
In
the Pacific, former Hurricane John reformed Wednesday as a tropical storm and
was strengthening as it threatened areas of Mexico’s western coast. Officials
posted hurricane warnings for southwestern Mexico.
John
hit the country’s southern Pacific coast late Monday, killing at least two
people, triggering mudslides, and damaging homes and trees. It grew into a
Category 3 hurricane in a matter of hours and made landfall east of Acapulco.
It reemerged over the ocean after weakening inland.