Hurricane Helene live updates: 6 dead, 2 million without power

Helene, currently a Category 1 hurricane, is forecast to make landfall between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. Thursday as a major Category 3 hurricane.

Helene is a large storm, so it could bring life-threatening storm surge for the entire West Coast of the Florida Peninsula.

The worst of the storm surge -- up to 18 feet -- is expected in Florida’s Big Bend area, where Helene’s set to make landfall.

The Tampa Bay area could see up to 8 feet of storm surge; coastal flooding is possible as far south as Fort Myers and Naples.

After Thursday night’s landfall, Helene will bring heavy rain and high winds to the inland Southeast.

Flash flooding is a risk from the Florida Panhandle up to Asheville, North Carolina, and the Appalachians through Friday.

Five to 10 inches of rain is in the forecast, with 15 inches projected locally.

-ABC News’ Melissa Griffin

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

Airport officials expect to reopen Friday.

The St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport is also closing on Thursday and plans to reopen Friday.

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

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