TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis warned residents of the Big Bend region, including people in hard-hit Taylor County. to make final preparations for Hurricane Helene, which grew into a Category 4 storm forecast to make landfall late Thursday night.
“I think you’re looking at anywhere from that Jefferson County line over to Taylor County,” DeSantis said during an early evening news conference. “Most of the data we have does have a Taylor County landfall. But all those areas there, along the Big Bend coast, are areas that are low lying, that are susceptible to potentially major storm surge.”
Subscribe to The Florida Jolt Newsletter!
While damage is expected to be widespread, DeSantis said the projected path had moved slightly east toward Taylor County, where Hurricane Debby made landfall last month and Hurricane Idalia hit in August 2023.
DeSantis’ warning came after the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office issued an online statement advising people who decide against evacuating to, “Please write your name, birthday, and important information on your arm or leg in permanent marker so that you can be identified and family notified.”
The National Hurricane Center said at 6:20 p.m. that maximum sustained winds had increased to 130 mph, making Helene an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 storm. Helene continued to grow as it moved north-northeast at 23 mph through the Gulf of Mexico. As of 7 p.m., the hurricane center said the storm was 110 miles west of Tampa and 145 miles south of Tallahassee.
Nearly 300,000 utility customers in the state did not have electricity Thursday afternoon, most in areas north and south of Tampa Bay. Large numbers of outages are expected after landfall.
DeSantis cautioned people to wait until daylight to begin clearing debris and making repairs.
“The storm is going to hit Florida’s Big Bend region sometime this evening, likely around 11 o’clock. It’s going to be dark,” DeSantis said during the news conference at the state Emergency Operations Center.
“Don’t go out as soon as that storm passes and it’s still dark and try to do work around your house or worry about things,” DeSantis said. “Let it get light. There’s going to be hazards there. It’s just not something you want to be navigating in the dark.”
Join your fellow patriots and subscribe to our YouTube Channel.
Winds and storm surge had already forced closure of roads and bridges along the state’s West Coast, including the Howard Frankland and Sunshine Skyway bridges and Courtney Campbell Causeway in the Tampa Bay area.
“If you see water on top of the road or lapping over bridges, please do not drive over them, it’s going to be dangerous,” Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue said.
After landfall, storm-force winds are expected until nearly daybreak, Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie said.
Other stories you may want to read:
Kamala Bombs Her First Solo Interview – ‘Doesn’t Answer the Question’
- Backroom Briefing: EV Disconnect - October 4, 2024
- DeSantis Says Guard Members Will Go to Ports - October 4, 2024
- Florida Ports Feel Effects of Strike - October 2, 2024