Tracking Hurricane Helene From the International Space Station

Some intersections in St. Pete Beach along Florida’s Gulf Coast were underwater by Thursday afternoon.

Photos posted by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office showed roads underwater in a commercial district of the beachside city located about 30 miles southwest of Tampa.

“We are already seeing concerning conditions,” the sheriff’s office posted.

Conditions along the coastal areas near Sarasota were beginning to deteriorate early Thursday afternoon, officials said.

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office posted photos on social media showing water lapping over a road at Nora Patterson Park, which is on the northern tip of Siesta Key.

The Skyway Bridge over Tampa Bay has closed as wind gusts have reached 60 mph, the Florida Highway Patrol said Thursday afternoon.

Mexico President Andrés Manuel López Obrador stated that the death toll from Hurricane John to five on Thursday as the communities along the country’s Pacific coast prepared for the storm to make a second landfall.

A warning was issued to residents in western and central counties to prepare for heavy rain and “potentially catastrophic flooding” Thursday night and Friday from Hurricane Helene.

Speaking at a Thursday morning briefing, Cooper said the mountains also likely will see landslides, river flooding and debris flows. And cities not necessarily in Helene’s direct path, like Charlotte and Asheville, could see flash flooding, he said.

“The impacts of Helene should not be ignored and all North Carolinians should remain informed,” said state emergency management director Will Ray. Areas of western North Carolina could receive from 9 to 14 inches (23 to 36 centimeters) of rain, with amounts reaching 20 inches (51 centimeters) possible, Ray said.

President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration for North Carolina on Thursday, responding to severe weather conditions impacting the region. This declaration follows earlier approvals for Georgia and Florida, highlighting the escalating response to the ongoing crisis. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has already mobilized teams to Florida and Alabama to assist local first responders. In preparation for potential disaster scenarios, federal authorities have deployed generators, food, and water supplies, as well as search-and-rescue and power restoration teams.