At least 20 people were reported dead across the Southeastern United States after Helene made landfall Thursday night as a Category 4 hurricane. More than 4.6 million customers were without power in Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas on Friday.
Now a weakened tropical depression, Helene came ashore in Florida's Big Bend region, bringing winds up to 140 mph and life-threatening storm surges of 15 feet in some locations.
Flooding was reported up and down Florida's coast, with record surge levels recorded across the Tampa area. Storm surges up to 15 feet were reported in some coastal locations in Florida.
A flash flood emergency was issued for Atlanta, and mandatory evacuations were ordered in parts of North Carolina as rivers swelled. The National Weather Service called for a mandatory evacuation for all residents near Lake Lure Dam in Rutherford County, N.C., saying it was at risk of "imminent" failure.
Forecasters have said Helene "is expected to turn northwestward and slow down over the Tennessee Valley later today and Saturday."
Helene is downgraded to a tropical depression - Dylan Stableford
According to the latest update from the National Hurricane Center, Helene has been downgraded to a tropical depression, with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph as it slowly moves through the southern Appalachians.
It is currently located about 125 miles south-southeast of Louisville, Ky., moving north-northwest at 28 mph.
"Helene is still producing historic and catastrophic flooding over portions of the southeast," the NHC said in its update. "A slowdown in forward speed is expected, and the depression is forecast to stall over the Tennessee Valley tonight and through the weekend."
The storm is expected to produce additional rainfall amounts of 3 to 6 inches, with total accumulations of 6 to 12 inches and isolated totals of around 20 inches in some areas.
North Carolina gov: 'One of the worst storms in modern history for parts of western North Carolina' - Katie Mather
During a briefing Friday morning, Gov. Roy Cooper said there had been two Helene-related deaths in the state and that he expected more to come.
"The priority right now is saving lives," he said. "With the rain that they already had been experiencing before Helene's arrival, this is one of the worst storms in modern history for parts of western North Carolina."
Western North Carolina appears to have been hit the hardest, with life-threatening flash flooding, numerous landslides and power outages throughout the region.
At least 20 dead as Helene continues on path of destruction - Katie Mather
An American flag sits in the floodwaters from Hurricane Helene in the Shore Acres neighborhood of St. Petersburg, Fla., on Friday.
Florida: Gov. Ron DeSantis confirmed that two people died in Florida — both from falling trees.
Georgia: Gov. Brian Kemp said that at least 11 people had died in his state, including a first responder. Earlier Friday, a sheriff in Wheeler County said two of those people died in an apparent tornado.
South Carolina: At least six people are reported dead in the western part of the state, where nearly every resident in the region is still without power.
North Carolina: Gov. Roy Cooper said at least two deaths in the state were linked to Helene, including one caused by a car accident on a flooded road and another death from a tree falling on a house. A Connecticut National Guard unit was deployed to North Carolina earlier Friday morning.
Florida's Big Bend region saw surge levels of 15 feet: NHC - Katie Mather
The National Hurricane Center on Friday said preliminary storm surge modeling of Hurricane Helene indicates that areas within Florida's Big Bend region — near Keaton Beach, Steinhatchee and Horseshoe Beach — saw water levels reach more than 15 feet above ground level.
Meteorologists are calling it a "storm surge event" — described as when water generated by a storm like Helene surpasses the predicted water level increase. "Storm surge is caused primarily by the strong winds in a hurricane or a tropical storm," according to the National Weather Service.
National Weather Service: North Carolina's Lake Lure Dam failure 'imminent' - Katie Mather
The National Weather Service has called for a mandatory evacuation for all residents near Lake Lure Dam in Rutherford County, N.C. The area is about two hours west of Charlotte.
Officials say that while water has been periodically drained from the dam this week, there has been too much rainfall to keep up.
The Lake Lure Dam was deemed an "engineering marvel" by experts and evaulated to be in "fair condition" according to a 2019 article. The dam is 120-feet tall with a 95-mile drainage area.
At least 11 deaths confirmed in Georgia, governor says - Katie Mather
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said that at least 11 people have died in Georgia from Helene. A first responder was among those killed from the storm.
Previously, the sheriff in Wheeler County said two people died in an apparent tornado.
Kemp also broke down some numbers to emphasize the devastation Helene has caused throughout the state:
1M residents without power
1,300 traffic signals without power
1,100 in shelters
152 road closures, two interstate closures
115 buildings in Valdosta with damage and multiple people trapped inside
Georgia is expected to receive federal assistance after Biden approved emergency declaration requests from the governors.
Residents are encouraged to continue sheltering as the National Hurricane Center declared Helene as a "dangerous and life-threatening situation."
Biden approves FEMA visits to Helene-affected regions - Katie Mather
President Biden was briefed on Helene's impact this morning by FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, who will travel to Florida to survey the damage and meet with officials.
Biden approved emergency declaration requests from the governors of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Over 1,500 FEMA personnel will be sent down to the affected regions.
At least 7 reported deaths linked to Helene - Katie Mather
At least seven deaths have been linked to Helene, according to the Associated Press.
Florida: Gov. Ron DeSantis confirmed that one person died on a Tampa highway after they were hit by a falling sign, and another person died in Dixie County after a tree fell onto a home.
Georgia: Two people died in an apparent tornado, the Wheeler County sheriff said.
South Carolina: One death was reported in Anderson County after a tree fell onto a home.
North Carolina: Gov. Roy Cooper said one person died in a car accident on a flooded road, and another person was killed after a tree fell on a house.
Evacuations are still being issued across the Carolinas, and local officials are warning residents to get to higher ground in high-impact regions, especially ones experiencing storm surges.
'Cedar Key as we know it is completely gone' - Katie Mather
Michael Bobbitt, a resident of Cedar Key, Fla., who stayed behind during Helene, told the New York Times, "Cedar Key as we know it is completely gone."
“The post office is destroyed,” he said of the city in Florida's northwestern Big Bend region, which was also hit by Hurricane Idalia in 2023. “Several restaurants are destroyed. The Jiffy Food Store is destroyed. Vehicles are smashed in and turned upside down. Everything is impassable. It looks like a nuclear bomb went off.”
Where Helene's path is headed this weekend - Katie Mather
Helene made landfall along Florida's northwestern Big Bend coast late Thursday night and by Friday morning was already making its way farther north, passing Atlanta.
As Helene heads north through Georgia, its impacts are also being felt in parts of the Carolinas as well.
Helene is expected to turn northwest, hitting the Tennessee Valley and parts of Kentucky and Indiana, Friday afternoon and early Saturday. Helene is expected to stall over the Tennessee Valley tonight and through the rest of the weekend, the National Hurricane Center reported.
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