Scenes From Florida as Hurricane Helene Approaches Scenes From Florida as Hurricane Helene Approaches

The Category 4 hurricane is expected to make landfall on the state’s gulf coast on Thursday evening.

Helene will make landfall on Thursday evening along Florida’s Big Bend coast and is expected to be the worst storm to ever hit the region. Currently a Category 4 hurricane with 130-mile-per-hour winds, the storm had already brought heavy rainfall and flooding to parts of the state as of Thursday morning.

Many residents of the region, even hardened veterans of Florida hurricanes, have chosen to evacuate, leaving some areas deserted.

Forecasters are predicting record-breaking storm surges, potentially rising 15 to 20 feet above normal tide levels.