Hurricane Helene live updates: Track the storm’s path as it nears Florida landfall

(NEW YORK) — A new storm — which will strengthen into Hurricane Helene — is taking aim at Florida, where it’s forecast to make landfall along the Big Bend area as a hurricane on Thursday.

Here’s how the news is developing:

Tampa airport to close

The Tampa International Airport will close at 2 a.m. Thursday ahead of Hurricane Helene, officials said.

Airport officials expect to reopen Friday.

North Carolina declares state of emergency

North Carolina has declared a state of emergency ahead of Hurricane Helene, Gov. Roy Cooper announced on Wednesday.

“Helene threatens heavy rain, flash flooding, landslides, and damaging winds to the mountains and Piedmont areas of our state,” the governor warned in a statement. “Now is the time for North Carolinians to prepare, make sure emergency kits are up-to-date and pay attention to the weather alerts.”

The state is preparing water rescue teams and urban search and rescue teams to help respond to the storm.

Universities, schools close as Helene approaches

Florida A&M University, the University of Tampa, the University of Florida and Florida State University’s Tallahassee campus have all announced closures ahead of Hurricane Helene’s landfall. The University of Tampa is under a mandatory evacuation order.

Younger students will also be out of school in counties including Pasco, Pinellas, Hernando, Citrus, Sarasota, Leon and Hillsborough.

-ABC News’ Alex Faul

Latest forecast

Helene, currently a Category 1 hurricane, is expected to rapidly intensify and could reach major category status — Category 3 — by Thursday morning.

Helene could be a high-end Category 3 hurricane with 125 mph winds by the time it makes landfall Thursday night in the Big Bend area of Florida. Helene might even be a Category 4 hurricane with 130 mph winds during landfall.

A hurricane warning is in effect just north of Tampa, covering Apalachicola, Florida; Tallahassee, Florida; and Valdosta, Georgia.

A tropical storm warning is in effect in Jacksonville, Florida; Orlando, Florida; Miami; and Charleston, South Carolina.

Inland flash flooding is also a major concern.

A separate storm is bringing heavy rain to Georgia and the Carolinas on Wednesday, so the additional rain from Helene could cause a historic flood event in the southern Appalachians Thursday night into Friday.

A tropical storm watch has been extended further north to include Atlanta and Asheville, North Carolina, for Thursday night into Friday morning. Strong, damaging winds up to 70 mph are possible in Atlanta on Friday.

-ABC News’ Max Golembo

University of Tampa students ordered to evacuate

The University of Tampa is ordering all students who live on campus to evacuate by 1 p.m. Wednesday, citing mandatory evacuation orders from Hillsborough County officials.

Hurricane Helene is forecast to bring dangerous storm surge to the Tampa Bay area.

“The residence halls will be closed after the evacuation concludes, and there will be no entry allowed into residential buildings until they are reopened following the storm,” the university said in a message to students.

The University of Tampa said it plans to resume operations on Monday.

-ABC News’ Alex Faul

Helene strengthens to Category 1 hurricane

Helene has strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 80 mph.

Helene — now located about 500 miles south-southwest of Tampa, Florida — is the fifth hurricane to form in the Atlantic Basin this season.

64 of Florida’s 67 counties under watches or warnings

Sixty-four out of Florida’s 67 counties are under alerts as Helene nears the state, said Kevin Guthrie, executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

Only three counties — Escambia, Okaloosa and Santa Rosa — are not under some type of watch or warning, like tropical storm, storm surge or hurricane, he said.

Wednesday is the last day for Floridians to finalize preparations before Helene hits, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned.

All Floridians should be prepared for power outages, DeSantis added.

At least 12 health care facilities, including hospitals and nursing homes, are evacuating, and more may choose to do so in the coming hours, the governor said.

-ABC News’ Alex Faul

Extreme flash flooding possible in Blue Ridge Mountains in Georgia, Carolinas

Extreme flash flooding is possible in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

First, a storm system separate from Helene is hitting the south on Wednesday. Up to 6 inches of rain is possible over the next 24 hours, bringing a flash flood risk from Atlanta to Asheville, North Carolina.

Then, Thursday afternoon through Friday morning, Hurricane Helene will bring even more extreme rain and flooding to the southern Appalachians.

A rare “high risk” alert for heavy rain has been issued. Up to 15 inches of rain is possible in some spots.

-ABC News’ Max Golembo

How storm surge works and why it’s so dangerous

Helene is forecast to bring 10 to 15 feet of dangerous storm surge to Florida’s Big Bend area, and 4 to 8 feet of storm surge to Tampa Bay.

In 2005, during Hurricane Katrina, at least 1,500 people died “directly, or indirectly, as a result of storm surge,” according to the National Hurricane Center.

Click here to read how storm surge works and why it’s so dangerous.

Helene nears hurricane strength

Tropical Storm Helene is nearing hurricane strength Wednesday morning as it churns just of the northeastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula.

Helene is about 100 miles west-southwest from the western tip of Cuba.

Tropical storm forecast to ‘rapidly’ intensify into major hurricane

Tropical Storm Helene was expected to “rapidly” strengthen and grow in size as it moved on Wednesday into the Gulf of Mexico, U.S. weather officials said.

The storm as of about 4 a.m. local time had maximum sustained winds of about 65 mph, the National Hurricane Center said. It was expected to intensify into a hurricane on Wednesday, before further strengthening into a “major” hurricane on Thursday, the center said.

Helene early Wednesday was traveling northwest at about 9 mph, the center said.

“On the forecast track, the center of Helene will pass near the northeastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula this morning, move across the eastern Gulf of Mexico on later today and Thursday, and reach the Big Bend coast of Florida late Thursday,” the center said.

Biden approves Florida emergency declaration ahead of Helene’s landfall

As Florida residents prepare for Tropical Storm Helene to make landfall Thursday, the White House has approved the state’s emergency declaration.

President Biden’s approval allows for federal assistance to supplement state, tribal and local response efforts.

The Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will coordinate all federal disaster relief efforts, according to the White House’s statement.

Biden’s approval Tuesday comes as officials in Sarasota County announced a Level A evacuation order for portions of two neighborhoods beginning Wednesday morning at 7:00 a.m. ET.

Officials encouraged residents in Curry Creek, Hatchett Creek, Venice and those in Forked Creek, Englewood to be aware of the conditions and stay alert for further updates.

Hurricane warnings issued for portions of Florida’s Panhandle, Big Bend and Gulf Coast

On the current track, Tropical Storm Helene is forecast to make landfall late Thursday night, between 8:00 and 10:00 p.m. ET, as a major Category 3 hurricane with winds up to 115 mph in the Florida Big Bend region.

Hurricane warnings have been issued for Florida’s Panhandle, Big Bend and Gulf Coast regions and hurricane watch warnings have extended into southern Georgia.

Officials have issued tropical storm warnings from Naples and Fort Myers to Orlando and tropical storm watch warnings are in place across Florida’s east coast up to Savannah, Georgia.

Helene’s latest forecast

Helene is expected to strengthen to a hurricane on Wednesday as it enters the Gulf of Mexico and strengthen further to a major Category 3 hurricane by Thursday morning.

A hurricane watch is in effect in Florida from Tallahassee to Tampa, where hurricane conditions will be possible late Wednesday night through late Thursday night.

Wednesday night into Thursday morning, Helene’s outer bands will start to lash Florida’s Gulf Coast. The worst of the conditions will be throughout the day on Thursday.

Helene is forecast to make landfall Thursday night along Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 3 hurricane. Winds could be up to 115 mph during landfall.

Helene is expected to be a large hurricane, which means impacts will extend significantly beyond the center, impacting most of Florida and much of the Southeast.

After landfall, Helene is forecast to quickly move north into Georgia, bringing heavy rain and strong winds to the South.

A significant flash flood risk stretches from the Florida Panhandle to South Carolina — including Tallahassee to Atlanta — Thursday night into early Friday.

-ABC News’ Melissa Griffin

How much rain, storm surge to expect

Ten to 15 feet of dangerous storm surge is forecast for Florida’s Big Bend area. Tampa Bay could see 4 to 8 feet of storm surge.

Four to 8 inches of rain is expected from Helene, with 12 inches locally, bringing major flash flooding.

Tornadoes are also possible on Wednesday and Thursday.

Damaging wind gusts over 100 mph will be possible in Tallahassee and Florida’s Big Bend area during landfall Thursday night.

-ABC News’ Melissa Griffin

Universities, schools close ahead of Helene

Ahead of Helene, Florida A&M University in Tallahassee canceled class from Tuesday afternoon through Friday. The university will be closed Wednesday through Friday.

Florida A&M said this weekend’s home football game and parents’ weekend will be rescheduled.

Florida State University said its Tallahassee campus will be closed from Wednesday morning to Sunday night.

FSU Tallahassee students can stay on campus during the closure, but should plan for possible power outages and be prepared to possibly stay inside all day Thursday, the university warned.

Officials in Florida are also closing public schools in multiple counties, including Pasco, Pinellas, Hernando, Citrus and Sarasota.

Mandatory evacuations have been announced in parts of Charlotte and Franklin counties.

Helene strengthens to tropical storm: Latest forecast

Helene, currently located about 180 miles east southeast of Cozumel, Mexico, strengthened to a tropical storm on Tuesday morning.

The forecast shows Helene moving through the Yucatan Channel Wednesday morning, bringing near hurricane-force wind gusts to Cancun, Mexico.

By Thursday morning, coastal flooding will reach Florida, including Naples and Fort Myers.

On Thursday night, Helene will make landfall near Apalachicola, Florida.

Dangerous wind gusts up to 105 mph are expected and storm surge will be a major threat for the Tampa Bay area.

By Friday morning, the center of Helene will be near Atlanta, bringing strong winds to Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina and North Carolina.

Downed trees and power lines will be a major danger across the Southeast.

The flash flood threat will continue into the weekend in the Tennessee, Ohio and Mississippi River Valleys.

State of emergency declared in 61 Florida counties

Helene is forecast to be a major hurricane by the time it makes landfall Thursday night, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned Monday.

A state of emergency has been declared in 61 of Florida’s 67 counties, DeSantis said.

“The Big Bend and Panhandle should be especially prepared for a direct impact,” the governor said, and he urged residents to know their evacuation zone.

“You have time to be able to put this place into place,” DeSantis said, noting Helene’s impacts could begin Wednesday.

Latest forecast

Helene will strengthen to a hurricane Tuesday night, and rain is expected to begin in Florida Wednesday afternoon into Thursday morning.

On Thursday evening, Helene will make landfall along Florida’s Big Bend area, located between Tallahassee and Gainesville.

Storm surge could reach up to 15 feet in the Big Bend area.

Heavy rain and strong winds are also major threats.

A hurricane watch is in effect for Florida’s Gulf Coast and a tropical storm watch was issued from Orlando to the Florida Keys.

By Thursday night into Friday, the storm will quickly push into Georgia with very heavy rain, gusty winds and possible flash flooding.

This weekend, the storm will stall over the Mid-South, bringing heavy rain and possible flooding to the Tennessee, Ohio and Mississippi River Valleys.

A flood watch has been issued in Florida from Fort Myers to Tampa to Tallahassee, as well as in southern Georgia and Alabama.