Hurricane Helene updates: Death toll surpasses 230 as rescue efforts continue

Hurricane Helene's landfall may see "damaging winds" penetrate as far inland as major metro areas like Atlanta, Georgia, the National Hurricane Center warned.

The storm is "strengthening and expected to bring catastrophic winds and storm surge to the northeastern Gulf Coast," the NHC said in its latest update.

A hurricane warning is currently in place for parts of Florida and Georgia. This includes Tallahassee and Apalachicola, Florida, and Valdosta, Columbus and Macon, Georgia.

A tropical storm warning is in place for cities including Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville and Atlanta. Dothan, Alabama, Charleston, South Carolina, and Asheville, North Carolina are also under tropical storm warnings.

The hurricane is expected to gather speed to Category 3 status -- with winds of 111 mph and above -- by the time it makes landfall on the Florida coast on Thursday night.

Helene's damaging winds could reach Atlanta and other cities by Friday morning, subsequently passing into the Appalachians and Ohio Valley by Friday afternoon.

-ABC News' Max Golembo

Hurricane Helene is strengthening as it approaches landfall in Florida, with winds at 90 mph as of Thursday morning.

Helene remains a Category 1 hurricane. Category 2 status begins with winds of 96 mph.

Landfall is projected after 9 p.m. ET on Thursday southeast of Tallahassee.

The National Hurricane Center predicted that Helene will be a Category 3 hurricane -- with winds of more than 111 mph -- by the time the storm makes landfall.

Storm surges are predicted to be 15 feet and above in Florida’s Big Bend area and between 4 and 8 feet in the Tampa Bay area.

Extreme flash flooding remains a major concern in Georgia and the Carolinas through Thursday night and into Friday morning.

-ABC News’ Max Golembo

Helene -- currently a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 85 mph -- is now located about 425 miles south-southwest of Tampa, Florida.

The worst of the storm surge -- up to 20 feet -- is expected in Florida's Big Bend area, where Helene's set to make landfall.

Landfall is forecast between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. Thursday as a major Category 4 hurricane with winds up to 130 mph.

Six to 12 inches of rain is in the forecast, with 18 inches projected locally.

-ABC News' Melissa Griffin

Major League Baseball announced Wednesday that the scheduled games between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets at Truist Park in Atlanta this week have been postponed due to the forecast and the inclement weather.

The games originally scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday nights have been moved to a doubleheader on Monday, Sept. 30, according to the MLB's statement.

The first game will begin at 1:10 p.m. ET and the second game will begin 40 minutes after the last out of the first game, the MLB said.

Monday is a single-admission doubleheader with only one ticket required for both games, according to the statement.