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

Helene is slamming Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas with torrential rain.

ByEmily Shapiro, David Brennan, Leah Sarnoff, and Julia Reinstein
Last Updated: September 27, 2024, 5:01 AM EDT

Helene -- which weakened to a tropical storm on Friday morning over Georgia -- made landfall as a massive Category 4 hurricane, slamming into the Big Bend region of Florida on Thursday night with 140 mph winds.

The monster storm churned across Florida into Georgia, leaving at least three people dead and millions without power across the Southeast. Significant flooding was reported across the region, with more rain expected Friday as Helene moves toward Tennessee.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing.
3 hours ago

65 people rescued from flooding on Florida highway

Members of the Pasco Sheriff’s Office and Pasco County Fire Rescue were working through the night and into the early morning responding to water rescue calls along the US-19 corridor on Florida’s Gulf coast.

As of 3:30 a.m. ET, the Pasco Sheriff's Office said a total of 65 people were rescued, with additional efforts ongoing.

Emergency services received more than 100 calls for assistance due to flooding, the Pasco Sheriff's Office wrote on Facebook.

-ABC News’ Ahmad Hemingway

3:16 AM EDT

Helene’s center to pass east of Macon, Georgia

The center of Hurricane Helene is projected to pass east of Macon, Georgia, after 3 a.m. ET, according to the latest forecast.

Hurricane warnings and tropical storm warnings remain in effect through the early morning hours of Friday.

Hurricane warnings and tropical storm warnings remain in effect through the early morning hours on Friday across the South as the center of Hurricane Helene is expected to move east of Macon, Georgia.
ABC News

The storm is expected to slow and weaken on Friday, turning northwestward to move through Georgia toward the Tennessee-North Carolina border, the National Hurricane Center said.

-ABC News’ Richard Von Ohlen

2:19 AM EDT

Helene downgraded to Category 1

Hurricane Helene was downgraded to a Category 1 hurricane in the early hours of Friday having moved around 100 miles inland into Florida and Georgia.

Its sustained winds dropped to 90 mph, with further weakening expected through to 5 a.m. ET.

Residents of Leon County take shelter from Hurricane Helene at Leon High School near downtown Tallahassee, Fla., on Sept. 26, 2024.
Octavio Jones/Reuters

Helene is maintaining speed at around 26 mph, heading north-northeast through central Georgia.

Macon, Atlanta, and Augusta are expected to experience damaging winds and torrential rain over the next two to three hours.

"Life-threatening storm surge, winds and heavy rains continue," the National Hurricane Center wrote on X.

-ABC News' Richard Von Ohlen

1:32 AM EDT

People told to 'remain in place' as Category 2 Helene moves into southern Georgia

The National Hurricane Center has warned residents to "remain in place" as Hurricane Helene moves into southern Georgia as a Category 2 storm.

NHC advises people not to step outside when the calm of the eye is over them, as winds will increase after Helene passes.

Helene has moved almost 75 miles inland, but remains a hurricane with top sustained winds now at 110 mph.
ABC News

Helene made landfall in Perry, Florida, as a Category 4, with 140 mph winds, but the speed of its maximum sustained winds has dropped to 110 mph.

The hurricane is moving across land at 26 mph.

Meanwhile, more than 200,000 customers are without power in Georgia, according to poweroutage.us.

-ABC News' Richard Von Ohlen