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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:
Biden approves Florida emergency declaration ahead of Helene's landfall
As Florida residents prepare for Tropical Storm Helene to make landfall Thursday, the White House has approved the state's emergency declaration.
President Biden's approval allows for federal assistance to supplement state, tribal and local response efforts.
The Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will coordinate all federal disaster relief efforts, according to the White House's statement.
Biden's approval Tuesday comes as officials in Sarasota County announced a Level A evacuation order for portions of two neighborhoods beginning Wednesday morning at 7:00 a.m. ET.
Officials encouraged residents in Curry Creek, Hatchett Creek, Venice and those in Forked Creek, Englewood to be aware of the conditions and stay alert for further updates.
Hurricane warnings issued for portions of Florida's Panhandle, Big Bend and Gulf Coast
On the current track, Tropical Storm Helene is forecast to make landfall late Thursday night, between 8:00 and 10:00 p.m. ET, as a major Category 3 hurricane with winds up to 115 mph in the Florida Big Bend region.
Hurricane warnings have been issued for Florida's Panhandle, Big Bend and Gulf Coast regions and hurricane watch warnings have extended into southern Georgia.
Officials have issued tropical storm warnings from Naples and Fort Myers to Orlando and tropical storm watch warnings are in place across Florida's east coast up to Savannah, Georgia.
-ABC News' Melissa Griffin
Helene’s latest forecast
Helene is expected to strengthen to a hurricane on Wednesday as it enters the Gulf of Mexico and strengthen further to a major Category 3 hurricane by Thursday morning.
A hurricane watch is in effect in Florida from Tallahassee to Tampa, where hurricane conditions will be possible late Wednesday night through late Thursday night.
Wednesday night into Thursday morning, Helene’s outer bands will start to lash Florida’s Gulf Coast. The worst of the conditions will be throughout the day on Thursday.
Helene is forecast to make landfall Thursday night along Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 3 hurricane. Winds could be up to 115 mph during landfall.
Helene is expected to be a large hurricane, which means impacts will extend significantly beyond the center, impacting most of Florida and much of the Southeast.
After landfall, Helene is forecast to quickly move north into Georgia, bringing heavy rain and strong winds to the South.
A significant flash flood risk stretches from the Florida Panhandle to South Carolina -- including Tallahassee to Atlanta -- Thursday night into early Friday.
-ABC News' Melissa Griffin
How much rain, storm surge to expect
Ten to 15 feet of dangerous storm surge is forecast for Florida’s Big Bend area. Tampa Bay could see 4 to 8 feet of storm surge.
Four to 8 inches of rain is expected from Helene, with 12 inches locally, bringing major flash flooding.
Tornadoes are also possible on Wednesday and Thursday.
Damaging wind gusts over 100 mph will be possible in Tallahassee and Florida’s Big Bend area during landfall Thursday night.
-ABC News' Melissa Griffin