Live updates: Hurricane Helene now Category 4, to make landfall along Florida’s Big Bend/Panhandle

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Hurricane Helene is now a Category 4 storm. Action News Jax Chief Meteorologist Mike Buresh said landfall looks to be Thursday evening near the Big Bend/Eastern Panhandle as a “major” Cat. 3+ hurricane.

Action News Jax will be following the latest developments for Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia LIVE as they happen below. Refresh this page for the latest.

6:21 p.m. Helene has been upgraded to a Category 4 hurricane.

6:16 p.m.: Nassau County has temporarily suspended beach driving beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday. This includes the county beaches (Peters Point south to the State Park) and the segment of City Beach by Slider’s (Seaside Park).

It is asked that all residents and visitors stay off the beaches as higher-than-normal tides are expected throughout the evening and into the day on Friday.

5:37 p.m.: A tornado warning is in effect for St. Johns County until 5:45 p.m.

5:08 p.m.: The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department said trees are already starting to come down in Jacksonville. JFRD posted on X a picture of a tree on power lines. It happened in the 1400 block of 45th Street.

4:48 p.m.: The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office will send its Incident Management Team to Florida’s Big Bend.

The first team will leave at 6 a.m. Friday, SJSO said in a Facebook post.

Action News Jax will have the latest updates on TV beginning at 5 p.m.

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