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By Jasmine Laws
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Hurricane Helene is expected to make landfall in Florida this evening, potentially as a Category 4 storm.
Multiple weather warnings are in place for Florida and parts of Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama, and Helene is forecast to sweep through Florida and Georgia, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
The tail end of the storm is expected to reach Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois and Indiana by the weekend as well.
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Given the size of Helene, winds are expected to fetch as far as 200 miles from the center of the storm, according to the National Hurricane Center, while the seawater displaced by the storm is forecast to reach highs of 15-20 feet around the area of Cedar Key, Florida.
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President of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), Antonio Busalacchi, told Newsweek that the Gulf of Mexico's continental shelf is "wide and shallow" and that's what he said leads to the "huge storm surge" expected with Hurricane Helene.
Busalacchi added that the power of the storm was largely due to the warm ocean temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico, and the fact that warm water travels into the Gulf of Mexico because of a phenomena called the loop current.
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"That was why we saw the rapid intensification over night and happening right now," he added.
He said the storm surge was one of the things to be "most concerned about" in regards to the incoming hurricane, and explained it was going to have "wide spread damaging effects for large parts of the big bend area of Florida."
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His advice for locals in the area was simply to "get out."
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Voluntary and mandatory evacuation orders have been put in place throughout Florida, with those under mandatory orders under instruction to start making the necessary preparations immediately.
In a statement released by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis it was announced that the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) had approved the state's pre-landfall disaster declaration request.
It added, "This will provide important resources and assistance from the federal government, including personnel, equipment and supplies, as well as making available funding sources for emergency protective measures.
According to the governor's statement, there are 35,000 shelf-stable meals being held near the anticipated area of where Hurricane Helene is set to hit, and seven urban search and rescue task forces are reportedly ready as soon as weather conditions permit.
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Preparations the locals are carrying out ahead of this evening include filling bags with sand.
This can minimize flood water damage caused by torrential rain during hurricanes by blocking the doorways, drains, maintenance hole covers, and garden furniture as it can re-direct the water.
In order to create a tight enough seal to prevent water flooding through, a lot of them are needed and need to be stacked up in layers. The Weather Station reported at least three layers are required to make a tight seal.
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Locals have also been boarding up the windows of their homes in order to protect the glass from smashing if hit by flying debris or strong winds.
Plywood is often used to board windows, but it is important that it is thick enough as a thin layer may not be enough protection from larger objects potentially whisked up by the strength of the wind.
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Business owners have also had to board up their windows and leave town, according to local reports, as many are shutting down amid evacuations.
Advice is being shared on X (formerly Twitter) regarding hurricane protection, where the vice president of the Florida Young Republicans said, "Find a small room in the center of the house that has NO windows. Bring a mattress, and shield yourselves from debris."
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People with boats have been instructed not to ride out the storm in their vessels and instead try to take them out of the water if they can, and strap it securely to a trailer.
To prevent the boat rolling, wheel blocks have been recommended for use as well as securing boat with heavy nylon lines to fixed objects.
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