Thousands evacuated in Florida as Hurricane Helene nears, threatening to become the most powerful storm to hit the U.S. in over a year.

Thousands evacuated in Florida as Hurricane Helene nears, threatening to become the most powerful storm to hit the U.S. in over a year.

Thousands of Florida residents have been forced to evacuate as the state prepares for the rapidly intensifying Tropical Storm Helene. The storm is expected to bring powerful winds, heavy flooding, and life-threatening storm surges to areas already recovering from recent hurricanes.

Helene is on course to make landfall along Florida’s Gulf Coast, potentially in the Big Bend region, late Thursday. It threatens to become the strongest storm to hit the U.S. in over a year. Forecasts predict Helene will strengthen into a hurricane by Wednesday, making it the fourth hurricane to hit the U.S. this year and the fifth to impact Florida since 2022.

Forming early Tuesday in the northwestern Caribbean Sea, Helene has been rapidly gaining strength. Meteorologists predict that the storm could intensify from a 45-mph tropical storm to a Category 3 hurricane within 48 hours as it moves over the hot waters of the Gulf of Mexico. As of 5 a.m. According to the National Hurricane Center, Helene’s sustained winds reached 65 mph with even higher gusts.

A flood watch is in effect for over 20 million people, stretching from Florida to the southern Appalachians, with tornadoes possible in the region through Friday. The Big Bend area is at risk for the most severe storm surge, potentially reaching up to 15 feet.

Florida's Big Bend region is still reeling from recent storms, including Hurricane Debby, which hit in early August as a Category 1 storm, and Hurricane Idalia, a Category 3 storm that brought record-breaking storm surges just last year. Many residents, like Way, are still recovering and bracing for another round of destruction.

A hurricane warning is currently in effect for parts of Florida’s Gulf Coast, from Anclote River to Mexico Beach, as Helene continues to approach. The Mexican government has also issued a hurricane warning from Cabo Catoche to Tulum.