Tag Archives: to be Category 3 hurricane
‘Potentially catastrophic’: Helene forecast to hit Big Bend with 115 mph winds
Helene, which organized into a tropical storm on Tuesday, is forecast to rapidly intensify into a powerful and massive before barreling into the Big Bend likely overnight Thursday, bringing “potentially catastrophic” wind and storm surge. An alert jolted with 115 mph winds residents’ phones at 5 p.m. as forecasters issued hurricane warnings for Dixie, Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Lafayette, Liberty, Leon, Madison, Taylor and Wakulla counties. A storm surge warning for what could be as much as 15-feet of inundation was also in effect for the Apalachee Bay coast. The National Hurricane Center’s tightening cone of uncertainty continued to show landfall anywhere from Panama City to Cedar Key. The center line, which forecasters caution people not to focus on, remained over Tallahassee in the 5 p.m. forecast. Helene was forecast to strengthen into a hurricane by Wednesday morning and a major hurricane, with winds of 110 mph or more, by Thursday morning. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 19:27
