Hurricane Helene, Heading for Florida, Set to Become Category 4, Hurricane Center Says

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told Floridians that now is the time to put hurricane preparation plans into action.

The National Hurricane Center’s forecasted track of Hurricane Helene as of 5 p.m. EDT on Sept. 25, 2024 (National Hurricane Center/National Weather Service).

The National Hurricane Center projects that Hurricane Helene will become a Category 4 hurricane by 2 p.m. EDT on Sept. 26, boasting winds of more than 132 miles per hour.

Helene was spotted 460 miles south-southwest of Apalachicola, Florida—a town within the expected landfall area—boasting winds of 85 mph at 5 p.m. EDT on Sept. 25. Hurricane-force winds (74 mph and greater) extend 25 miles out from its center while tropical storm-force winds (39–73 mph) are recorded 345 miles out.