Helene grew to hurricane strength Wednesday morning and was predicted to rapidly intensify to a dangerous Category 3 storm on approach to Florida’s Gulf Coast on Thursday. Forecasters warned that the powerful and unusually large storm could bring severe impacts to not only Florida but also many other parts of the Southeast United States as it moves swiftly inland through Friday.
The National Hurricane Center warned of a “life-threatening” storm surge — or rise in ocean water above normally dry land — in Florida’s Big Bend area and along the entire west coast of the peninsula. The agency is calling for a surge of up to 10 to 15 feet in the Big Bend area, where the storm is forecast to make landfall Thursday evening, while Tampa Bay could see a 5-to-8-foot storm surge.
Damaging to destructive winds will also accompany Helene’s arrival, with gusts over 115 mph probable in the eyewall, the ring of violent thunderstorms surrounding the storm center. Several major Florida cities, such as Tampa, Gainesville and Tallahassee, could see gusts over 60 mph, and even southern parts of the peninsula are in line for tropical storm-force winds.
Please select this link to read the complete article from The Washington Post.