Florida hit with flooding, heavy winds as Hurricane Helene closes in

Powerful winds and flooding have hit Florida as the state braces for the arrival of Hurricane Helene, which is forecast to make landfall as a Category 4 storm on Thursday evening. Officials issued dire warnings ahead of the storm’s arrival, urging residents in the path of Helene to evacuate. Officials warned the hurricane will bring catastrophic winds and a potentially deadly storm surge that could rise to 20 feet (6.1 metres) in some areas. As of Thursday afternoon, the National Hurricane Centre reported the storm had reached a Category 3 strength with winds of up to 195 kilometres per hour, with the agency saying it was expected to further strengthen before making landfall. Hurricane and flash flood warnings extended far beyond the coast into south-central Georgia. The governors of Florida, Georgia and North Carolina have all declared emergencies in their respective states. For more info, please go to https://globalnews.ca/news/10776222/hurrican-helene-landfall-florida-georgia/ Subscribe to Global News Channel HERE: http://bit.ly/20fcXDc Like Global News on Facebook HERE: http://bit.ly/255GMJQ Follow Global News on X HERE: http://bit.ly/1Toz8mt Follow Global News on Instagram HERE: https://bit.ly/2QZaZIB #GlobalNews #florida #hurricanehelene