FEMA is urging residents to prepare for a hurricane expected to make landfall in Florida on Thursday, bringing with it a life-threatening storm surge and hurricane conditions.
Tropical Storm Helene is forecast to become a major hurricane before landfall in Florida. While it is too soon to know the exact location and how strong the storm will be, authorities said it will likely bring heavy rain, life-threatening storm surge, hurricane-force winds and flash and urban flooding.
The National Hurricane Center forecasts this system will strengthen significantly while moving northward over the Gulf of Mexico. Hurricane and storm surge watches have been issued for the Gulf Coast of Florida, including the Florida Panhandle and portions of Florida’s west coast.
FEMA is activating the National and Regional Response Coordination Centers and Incident Management Assistance Teams. The agency is pre-positioning personnel and commodities in Florida and other strategic locations for swift deployment upon a state’s request.
