Tropical Update: Hurricane Helene moves closer to Florida, Category 4 strength expected | 11 p.m. We

Hurricane Helene is expected to reach Category 4 strength as it continues to track toward Florida's Gulf coast, according to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center.

The National Hurricane Center has issued hurricane and storm surge warnings for parts of Florida's Gulf Coast, including the Tampa Bay area, ahead of potential impacts from the storm. It's expected to further strengthen into a major hurricane, category 3 or higher, sometime Thursday ahead of landfall.

[RR]

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE TAKE YOUR PETS WITH YOU!!!! DON'T LEAVE THEM BEHIND !!!! HELP THE ELDERLY !!! HELP EACH OTHER!!!

[castlekingside]

Whoever ends up getting in the path of this storm, prayers from Canada.

[edgarchegwin]

Hi Colleen, I lived 22 years in the Miami area, and I myself have been trough several hurricanes, to the folks up in the Florida`s big bend let me tell you somehting guys, and I dont meant to scare anyone, you should start doing your preps now before is too late, for a major hurricane hitting your area. Hurricane WIlma back in the year 2005, with simlar features than Helene, caught many of us by surprIse and the result was a tremendous devastation to our city, I wish you the best for those who will be in the eye of the storm, my prayers are with you all, rgs

[suehinze]

Sending out prayers for all in the path of this storm, from Wisconsin

[larrymosher]

Thanks for the update. Stay safe Florida.

[junecoulthard]

🌀 Prayers to everyone in Hurricane Helene's Path, stock up and hunker down, make sure your furry friends are all safe too and don't forget to check on the Elderly to make sure they have everything they need. 🙏🏼💕🌀

[LOADUP]

tomorrow night florida will look like a warzone

[castlekingside]

This will be massive billion dollar losses for Florida. They've run out of time. Insurance companies are leaving.

[ernyak]

If you are on its path, just evacuate for real, storm getting big really fast.

[Mickey-bf]

I'm in Hudson Florida im riding it out im worried about the surge 10- 15 ft

[tammyorton]

On earth, as it is in

Hurricanes ....
Our "little" galaxies.

[Taskoism]

Just a bit breezy in pinellas county right now. Right off the beach

[FloLife]

Praying for Everyone in Florida. God please protect us and homes . Cover us Lord we pray for favor 🙏

[paulsholar]

The NHC hurricane storm surge map is always quite misleading to the public, because it does not depict flooding in low-lying areas near the coast and along any significant river that empties into the ocean near the hurricane's landfall site. Those rivers and streams will cause major local flooding as well. The normal (but also the rain-swollen) flows of those rivers are blocked by the storm surge waters at the rivers' mouths, so the river flow has nowhere to go except sideways onto the land.

[rawbebaba]

Man wasn't this one just a tropical storm? I know it had dumped a ton of rain but man

[alexanderbui]

very sad, when talking about the storms that have swept through the gulf subcommittees...but the TX/AL/MS/FL 4 subcommittees have no initiative with the climate...or find a way to control the storm...in the future there will be many, many storms...

[MagicofPurple]

Desantis begging for FEMA but talking about " small government "

[vincentpari]

Im in Port Charlotte, should i Board up my windows?(being serious)

[superdragon]

Didn’t Idalia hit that area the previous year?

[BeardedRealm]

Ive been through 22 hurricanes never evacuated once