Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida late Thursday night as a dangerous Category 4 storm that will slam the sunshine state with torrential rainfall, potentially “unsurvivable” storm surge and life-threatening winds.
The eye of the storm made landfall in the Florida Big Bend region around 11:10 p.m. just east of the mouth of the Aucilla River – about 10 miles west-southwest of Perry, Florida.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a state of emergency in almost every county in the state.
A Florida driver was killed when a sign fell on top of a vehicle during Hurricane Helene late Thursday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said.
The horrific tragedy happened on Interstate 4 in Ybor City outside of Tampa Bay at mile marker 1 around 7:53 p.m., according to WTSP.
“It shows you that it’s very dangerous conditions out there,’ DeSantis said. “You need to be, right now, just hunkering down. Now is not the time to be going out. Not only are we seeing it hit landfall in Northern Florida, you’re still seeing surge and water rising in parts of Florida far south from the Big Bend area.
The eye of the storm made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane — with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph — in the Florida Big Bend region around 11:10 p.m. just east of the mouth of the Aucilla River – about 10 miles west-southwest of Perry, Florida.
