JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Action News Jax First Alert Weather Team has declared a First Alert Weather Day on Thursday, when Hurricane Helene’s impacts on our area will be greatest.
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Here’s what you need to know about Helene:
- The storm is steadily gaining strength near the northeast tip of the Yucatan Peninsula not far from Cancun.
- More rapid strengthening Wednesday night/Thursday, taking the hurricane to at least a Category 3.
- Landfall will be along the eastern Panhandle/Florida Big Bend Thursday evening, 150-200 miles west of Jacksonville.
- Local impacts: Some heavy rain, gusty winds, a few tornadoes primarily from midnight Thursday to about 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. Friday.
- Local impacts do not look to be a lot except for any neighborhoods that may be hit by a tornado or an isolated tree that may fall on a home.
- Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia has dried out some from the first two weeks of this month, but still soggy.
- This will be the third hurricane at or near the Big Bend since late August 2023 -- a rare feat (Idalia, Debby, now Helene).
- This will be the fourth hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. this season, second for Florida (the other was Debby).
- Friday will be mostly sunny, breezy, mostly dry and with infrastructure in good shape. Most businesses that can and want to open will be open.
WEDNESDAY:
- Scattered showers and a few thunderstorms Wednesday night, though not directly caused by Helene.
- Bands of heavy rain & storms will rotate northward across the area Thursday through Thu. night – this will be outer bands from Helene with heavy rain at times, isolated tornadoes & gusty winds.
- Our local weather will rapidly improve Friday with sun and a gusty breeze out of the west.
- Tropics: Hurricane Helene will make landfall Thursday night in the Eastern Florida Panhandle then moving into Georgia & Tennessee producing flooding rain, high winds & tornadoes. More in “Talking the Tropics With Mike.”
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