Several Florida counties have issued mandatory evacuation orders as a strengthening Tropical Storm Helene approaches the Sunshine State’s western coast.
After gaining the attention of meteorologists last week, Helene formed on Tuesday morning and is expected to make landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region later this week. As of Tuesday afternoon, Helene had maximum sustained wind speeds of 50 mph. A recent National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecast anticipates that the storm will reach near-hurricane strength by early Wednesday morning. Current graphics of the probable path of the storm’s center show it hitting roughly between Panama City and Clearwater Beach.
Helene’s forecast landfall strength is still uncertain. One weather-modeling system has predicted that Helene could be a massive Category 5 storm with winds over 155 mph, but other models suggest a weaker storm, Newsweek previously reported. The NHC and National Weather Service (NWS) offices in the storm’s forecast region are warning that Helene could be classified as a Category 3 or higher, making it a major hurricane.
“It is expected to strengthen into a hurricane probably by tomorrow, and potentially a major hurricane on Thursday as it approaches the Big Bend of Florida and the Florida panhandle,” NWS meteorologist Tyler Fleming told Newsweek.
Ricardo Arduengo/Getty
In addition to storm surge, wind and heavy rain, there also is the threat of urban flooding and tornadoes. Fleming urged residents to take evacuation orders seriously.
The forecasts have prompted several Florida counties to issue mandatory evacuation orders for susceptible areas, such as health care facilities or buildings in flood-prone areas. Some counties have included evacuation maps in their alerts.
Pinellas County
Officials in Pinellas County have ordered immediate mandatory evacuations for all residential health care facilities, such as hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living facilities, within evacuation Zone A.
Wakulla County
A countywide mandatory evacuation is in place for Wakulla County. The evacuation requires residents and visitors to evacuate no later than 8 a.m. Thursday. The county also added that there will be no evacuation shelters open in the county, and residents should seek shelter elsewhere.
Sarasota County
County officials have issued an evacuation alert for people residing in the Level A evacuation zone, as well as manufactured home communities. Sarasota County’s alert begins at 7 a.m. Wednesday, with evacuation centers opening at noon. Evacuation Level A is depicted in red shading in the embedded map.
Hernando County
Mandatory evacuations are now in place for all areas west of U.S. 19 in Hernando County, including for residents in evacuation zones A, B and C. The mandatory evacuation includes all residents in coastal, low-lying or manufactured home areas.
Charlotte County
Officials in Charlotte County have ordered evacuations for barrier islands, low-lying and flood-prone areas, manufactured homes and homes unable to withstand high winds.
Franklin County
Mandatory evacuation orders went into effect at noon Tuesday for Franklin County. The mandatory evacuation includes all barrier islands—St. George Island, Dog Island, Bald Point and Alligator Point—low-lying and flood-prone areas, mobile home parks and RV parks.
Gulf County
Mandatory evacuations are in place for all nonresidents in Gulf County’s Indian Pass, Cape San Blas and Simmons Bayou. The mandatory evacuation is also in place for all RVs in those areas.
Citrus County
The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office has issued a mandatory evacuation for nursing homes and assisted living facilities within Zone A. The evacuation order goes into effect at 8 a.m. Wednesday. An evacuation order for residential structures in Zone A or any structure countywide unable to withstand tropical storm-force winds are required to evacuate by 2 p.m. Wednesday.
Citrus County Sheriff’s Office
Taylor County
The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office issued a mandatory evacuation order for everyone residing in the county due to the tropical storm’s forecast. The order is effective immediately.
“Hurricane Helene is predicted to be a catastrophic and life-threatening storm system,” a county Facebook post said. “This system will be unlike anything we have experienced to date.”
Levy County
Officials in Levy County have issued mandatory evacuation orders for RV parks countywide, mobile homes and manufactured homes countywide, coastal communities and low-lying areas.
Evacuations should be completed by 6 p.m. Wednesday. County officials warned that winds from the incoming storm could be so severe that emergency services can’t reach those in need in a timely manner.
Florida residents are encouraged to check their county orders, as this is not an all-encompassing list. Other counties that aren’t listed may have voluntary evacuation orders in place.
Helene marks the eighth named storm in the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season. Earlier this year, weather experts warned of the high possibility of an above-average season, citing the climate pattern of El Niño and abnormally warm ocean surface temperatures. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s updated forecast published last month anticipates 17 to 24 named storms.