Hurricane Helene, a powerful category 4 storm, made landfall along the Florida coast with winds of 225 kph, threatening to bring high winds, storm surges, and drenching rainfall. Evacuation orders were issued as the storm was deemed “not survivable” in coastal areas. States of emergency were declared in multiple states as the storm approached.
Florida’s governor urged residents to flee before the storm’s impact, warning of flooding, road closures, and power outages. The hurricane was expected to weaken but continue to spread as it made landfall. Climate scientists have warned that global heating is increasing the strength of hurricanes, with Helene deriving much of its power from warm ocean temperatures.
The storm was forecast to be one of the largest in years to hit the region, affecting millions of people under hurricane and tropical storm warnings. As the storm moved northward, emergency officials in North Carolina warned residents to seek safety on higher ground due to the threat of heavy rain and flooding.
Helene also impacted western Cuba and parts of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula before making landfall in Florida. It is the eighth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which has been predicted to be above average due to record-warm ocean temperatures.
The storm, fueled by warm Gulf waters, represents the new pattern of more frequent and powerful hurricanes as a result of climate change. The devastating effects of Hurricane Helene highlight the urgent need for climate action to address the escalating threat of extreme weather events.
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