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Hurricane Helene live updates: 44 dead across the South

Flooding remains a major threat through the weekend.

ByEmily Shapiro, David Brennan, Leah Sarnoff, Julia Reinstein, and Meredith Deliso
Last Updated: September 27, 2024, 5:14 AM EDT

Helene made landfall in Florida's Big Bend region Thursday night as a massive Category 4 hurricane -- the strongest hurricane to make landfall in the Big Bend on record.

The storm surge, wind damage and inland flooding from Helene has been catastrophic, leaving dozens dead.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing.
Sep 27, 2024, 5:14 AM EDT

Helene weakens to tropical storm

Hurricane Helene was downgraded to a tropical storm around 100 miles southeast of Atlanta early on Friday, as its sustained wind speed slowed to 70 mph.

Life-threatening winds, flash flooding, rain and storm surge are ongoing through Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Helene is expected to slow and weaken as it travels north-northwest through Georgia toward the Tennessee-North Carolina border, the National Hurricane Center said.

Helene is projected to turn post-tropical on Friday afternoon or Friday night, the NHC said.

"However, the fast forward speed will allow strong, damaging winds, especially in gusts, to penetrate well inland across the southeastern United States, including over the higher terrain of the southern Appalachians," the NHC said.

-ABC News' Max Golembo

Sep 27, 2024, 4:50 AM EDT

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

Sep 27, 2024, 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

Sep 27, 2024, 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