Hurricane Helene approaches Florida, prompts evacuation orders

The storm on Thursday strengthened to a Category 2 hurricane as it neared Florida’s Gulf Coast. The outer bands of the storm began dumping rain on southeastern states on Wednesday and officials in more than 30 Florida counties on Thursday issued mandatory evacuation orders. Helene is forecast to strengthen to a Category 3 hurricane before it makes landfall Thursday evening, according to the National Hurricane Center, with winds up to 115 miles per hour. Hurricane force winds could reach up through central Georgia and could cause power outages throughout the gulf coast.

How else is the storm affecting the Southeast? The governors of Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia declared states of emergency as Helene was expected to pour rain across the region. Strong winds were also forecast throughout the region and could knock down trees and cause power outages, according to the NHS. Most Florida schools closed Thursday and some schools closed in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

Dig deeper: Read Christina Grube’s report about Helene moving toward Florida.