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Hurricane Helene live updates: Category 4 storm makes landfall in Florida's Big Bend

Helene is forecast to make landfall in Florida on Thursday night.

ByEmily Shapiro, David Brennan, Leah Sarnoff, and Julia Reinstein
Last Updated: September 26, 2024, 2:39 PM EDT

Helene -- which has strengthened to a major Category 4 hurricane -- is taking aim at Florida, where it's forecast to make landfall along the Big Bend area on Thursday night.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing.
2:35 PM EDT

Helene strengthens to major Category 3 hurricane

Helene strengthened to a major Category 3 hurricane with 120 mph winds on Thursday afternoon.

Helene could strengthen even more before it makes landfall Thursday night.

1:44 PM EDT

'Take the storm seriously,' FEMA administrator warns

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell is warning everyone in the path of Hurricane Helene to "take the storm seriously."

A local resident fills bags with sand as the town prepares for Hurricane Helene in Fort White, Fla., Sept. 26, 2024.
Cristobal Herrera-Ulashkevich/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

"Listen to your local officials. If they tell you to evacuate, please do so. And if they tell you to shelter in place, then that's what you should do," she said at a news conference. "They're going to give you the best information that you can do, for your specific situation. Those decisions can save lives."

Over 1,100 personnel from the federal government are supporting storm efforts, Criswell said.

Chris Hoy, left, and Jennifer Williams place hurricane shutters on his sister's business before the arrival of Hurricane Helene, Sept. 25, 2024, in Port Richey, Fla.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

"We also have an additional 700 personnel from FEMA that are already in these states, supporting other disasters, that we can quickly pivot to support any of the response needs as needed," Criswell said. "Some of the resources that we have already deployed include eight search and rescue teams across Florida and Georgia, as well as resources from the Coast Guard, the Department of Defense to immediately support any lifesaving operations as needed."

-ABC News’ Justin Ryan Gomez

11:57 AM EDT

North Carolina flooding could be catastrophic, governor warns

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper described Helene as an unusually dangerous storm that threatens to bring heavy rain and potentially catastrophic flooding to central and western North Carolina on Thursday night and Friday.

Helene is forecast to drop more than 1 foot of rain to parts of western North Carolina, and even cities like Charlotte could see flash flooding despite not being in the storm's direct path, officials said.

President Joe Biden has approved emergency declarations for states in Helene's path, including North Carolina.

-ABC News’ Alex Faul

11:40 AM EDT

Latest forecast

Helene is forecast to strengthen to a major Category 3 hurricane with 120 mph winds by 8 p.m. Thursday.

Landfall is expected Thursday night, between 10 p.m. and midnight, southeast of Tallahassee.

Hurricane Helene forecast path
ABC News

After landfall, the fast-moving Helene will push strong winds inland to northern Georgia.

On Friday morning, catastrophic flash flooding is a major threat from northern Georgia to Asheville, North Carolina. That area already saw up to 6 inches of rain over the last 24 hours from a separate storm, and Helene could drop another 10 to 20 inches of rain.

Hurricane Helene, which has strengthened to a Category 2 hurricane, is taking aim at Florida, where it's forecast to make landfall along the Big Bend area on Thursday night.
NOAA

The remnants of Helene will stall over the weekend in the Tennessee, Ohio and Mississippi River valleys. Flooding is possible in Tennessee, Kentucky and Arkansas.

-ABC News’ Max Golembo