Hurricane Helene Florida: Wind damage, flooding, live updates on Friday

1.2 million electricity customers in Florida woke up in the dark early Friday morning and had to deal with the aftermath of the fast-moving tropical cyclone. Power outages are just a few of the many problems Helene has left Floridians with.

On Friday morning, Hurricane Helene weakened to a Category 1 hurricane and then a strong tropical storm moved toward the Atlanta area.

Helene made landfall with winds of 140 mph in Taylor County, Florida, just east of the mouth of the Aucilla River, about 10 miles west-southwest of Perry, Florida. This is another major blow near where Hurricanes Debby and Idalia made landfall in the last two days of August.

This storm, like the two others that recently struck Florida's Big Bend, once again avoided direct impact on the state capital, Tallahassee.

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Hurricane Helene's landfall is approximately 30 miles northwest of where Hurricane Idalia made landfall in August 2023.

Hurricane Helene made landfall near Perry, Florida as a Category 4 storm

Helene is the strongest hurricane ever to make landfall along the Big Bend in Florida since 1851. This surpasses the previous record for the region set by Hurricane Cedar Key in 1896 with winds of 125 miles per hour. said Phil Klotzbach, a senior research scientist at Colorado State University.

— Dinah Pulver

What other systems are there?

Where is Helene going?

The impact of Hurricane Helene before landfall in Florida

Drone video of the Steinhatchee River before Hurricane Helene on September 26th

A top view of the Steinhatchee River ahead of Hurricane Helene on September 26, 2024 in Steinhatchee, Florida.

Matlacha Bridge: Hurricane Helene sweeps over Matlacha Pass near Pine Island

Hurricane Helene churns through the Matlacha Pass just off the Matalacha Bridge on Thursday, September 26th.

Florida weather radar

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