Hurricane Helene has weakened to a tropical storm over Georgia with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph early Friday, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm continues to weaken while moving farther inland over Georgia, located about 40 miles east of Macon and 100 miles southeast of Atlanta. Helene made landfall in northwestern Florida as a Category 4 storm, causing at least three storm-related deaths.
The storm's eye passed near Valdosta, Georgia, as it moved rapidly north into the state. An extreme wind warning was issued for the area, with possible hurricane-force winds exceeding 115 mph. More than 1.2 million homes and businesses were without power in Florida, over 190,000 in Georgia, and more than 30,000 in the Carolinas.
Helene prompted hurricane and flash flood warnings extending far beyond the coast up into northern Georgia and western North Carolina. Heavy rains and strong winds were experienced in various areas, with up to 10 inches of rain falling in the North Carolina mountains.
Two people were killed in south Georgia when a possible tornado struck a mobile home. The storm made landfall in the sparsely-populated Big Bend area of Florida, causing widespread damage. Evacuation orders were issued in low-lying areas along the Gulf Coast.
While Helene is expected to weaken as it moves inland, damaging winds and heavy rain are still a concern. The storm has impacted various regions, including Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula and western Cuba. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp described Helene as one of the biggest storms the state has ever faced.
Helene is the eighth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, with NOAA predicting an above-average season due to record-warm ocean temperatures.
