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Hurricane Helene live updates: 44 dead in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina
Flash flood emergencies are ongoing in multiple states.
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.
Helene has since weakened and is now post-tropical, but its remnants will continue to produce dangerous weather. The center of the storm is now over Kentucky with heavy rain and gusty winds across a large area from Missouri to Ohio to the Carolinas.
Latest headlines:
Extreme wind warning issued for Tallahassee area
The National Weather Service issued an extreme wind warning for three cities in the Tallahassee area on Thursday night.
The warning is in effect until midnight in Perry, Madison and Monticello.
"Treat these imminent extreme winds as if a tornado was approaching and move immediately to an interior room or shelter NOW!" the agency said.
Hurricane Helene in photos
As Florida is bracing for Hurricane Helene to make landfall, heavy rain and winds are battering Florida's Gulf Coast.
Hurricane Helene nearing Florida's northeast Gulf Coast
Hurricane Helene's landfall is expected in the next few hours -- likely between 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. -- as a major Category 4 in Florida's Big Bend region.
As of 8 p.m. ET, hurricane-force gusts extend outward 60 miles from the center of the storm and tropical storm-force gusts extend outward 310 miles from the center.
Some additional strengthening is possible before the center reaches Florida's coast on Thursday.
Although weakening is expected after Helene moves inland, the storm is moving fast and it is powerful. Damaging wind gusts will penetrate well inland across the Southeastern states.
Ahead of Helene's landfall, there was a 76 mph gust reported in St. Pete.
Latest forecast and maps as Category 4 Hurricane Helene nears landfall
Hurricane Helene is headed toward Florida's Big Bend region as a dangerous Category 4 storm.
As of 7 p.m. ET, Helene carried maximum sustained winds of 130 mph.
A Weatherflow station at Egmont Channel near the entrance of Tampa Bay recently reported sustained winds of 54 mph and a wind gust of 71 mph.
Tropical storm conditions are approaching the coastline of Florida's Big Bend.
A Weatherflow station at St. George Island recently reported a wind gust of 46 mph.