Late Thursday evening local time, at 5 o’clock Norwegian time, hurricane “Helene” hit northwestern Florida, known as “Big Bend”, writes the AP news agency. By then it had been upgraded to a category 4 hurricane, the second highest hurricane category, with a wind speed of over 60 meters per second. – Right now you just have to seek refuge, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said at a press conference early Friday morning Norwegian time. He warned that strong gusts of wind many hundreds of kilometers around the eye of the storm and storm surge along large parts of the Florida coast. Helene hit the Big Bend area of Florida near the town of Perry late Thursday night local time. It is expected to continue north towards Atlanta, Georgia before weakening in strength. A few hours later, the hurricane was downgraded to category 2, according to the US hurricane center NHC. But the situation is still considered very dangerous. The wind speed is still almost 50 meters per second. – Life-threatening storm surge, wind and torrential rain continue, writes NHC in an update at 8 o’clock Norwegian time. One and a half million without power This is the most powerful documented hurricane to hit the Big Bend area, writes CNN. It is among the 14 most powerful recorded storms to ever hit the United States, writes Reuters. The hurricane is now moving north towards the state of Georgia. Over 1.6 million households in Florida and Georgia were without power at 8 am Norwegian time, according to the website Poweroutage.us. Hurricane Helene hit Florida on Friday morning. The waves and high tide were expected to be up to six meters high along the flat coast. – It is the same as up to the top of a two-storey building. Again, a non-survivable scenario will play out along the coast, NHC director Mike Brennan said in a video. Waiting to find dead US President Joe Biden asked everyone affected by the hurricane to take the warnings seriously. – We are expecting a catastrophic storm, wind and flooding throughout the southeast, starting in Florida now, Biden said from the White House on Thursday evening. Hurricane “Helene” was upgraded to the second highest category on Thursday evening. Photo: Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo / AFP/NTB People were asked to evacuate due to the large amounts of water that have been warned. All rescue work has been put on hold, writes Reuters. So far, one person in Florida has been confirmed dead as a result of a sign that fell over the car it was in. – When we wake up tomorrow, there will probably be more dead, said Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Asked to write name on arm Police in Taylor County in northwest Florida asked anyone who doesn’t evacuate to write their name and date of birth in ink on their arm so it will be easier to identify them if they die. Donald Draughon and his wife Vicki had sought refuge at Lincoln High School in Tallahassee in Florida on Thursday. Photo: Kathleen Flynn / Reuters – This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation. People should not leave shelters and remain until these life-threatening conditions are over, says an NHC statement. Tornado warnings have also been issued for much of Florida and southeast Florida. In Georgia, it is reported that two people have died in a possible tornado. – The two died when what may be a tornado hit a motorhome Thursday evening, Wheeler County Sheriff Randy Rigdon told WMAZ-TV. A man and his dog were rescued from the sea off the south coast of Florida after the boat they were in began to sink. Photo: US Coast Guard / Reuters Course north “Helene” was still over the Gulf of Mexico when the hurricane center NHC upgraded it from category 2 to 3 on Thursday. On its way to Florida, the storm has caused flooding, uprooted trees and caused power outages in Cuba and the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. It was upgraded to a Category 4 hurricane hours before it hit Florida. The hurricane seen from the air as it approached Florida on Thursday evening. Photo: Handout / NOAA / GOES VIA AFP “Helene” could become the most powerful hurricane to hit the United States in over a year. It decreased in strength when it hit land, which is normal. Now it is gradually weakening as it moves further north towards Georgia and Tennessee. The governors of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia have all declared states of emergency. In Georgia, 30 cm of rain or more is expected. This can cause major damage to crops. Waves and tides washed over Tampa, Florida on Thursday. “The preliminary forecasts indicate that the storm will affect our entire state,” said Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, Reuters reported. Scientists tell CNN that climate change is causing storms to become stronger because a warmer ocean gives them more energy. Powerful hurricanes Global warming will most likely cause tropical hurricanes to become more powerful, according to the UN climate panel. The reason is that the ocean is warmer than before. New areas may be exposed to remnants of tropical hurricanes. Whether the total number of hurricanes changes is uncertain. Probably there will be the same number or fewer. Swipe to see how a hurricane forms. AFP A hurricane forms Imagine a sea temperature of over 26-27 degrees. The water evaporates and the warm air rises. The air contains a lot of moisture. High up, the air becomes colder, the moisture becomes difficult to retain and a lot of energy is released. If the wind strength is more than 32.6 m/s, we call it a hurricane. AFP Great destruction In a tropical hurricane, the strong winds and enormous amounts of rainfall lead to great destruction. Storm surges and storm surges are also a feared consequence of the hurricane. Already now, increased sea levels are causing both waves and tides to reach further inland. Stronger and more intense hurricanes will lead to more extensive damage. AP Framtiden The American Meteorological Institute (NOAA) believes that an extra number of powerful hurricanes may occur in the Atlantic Ocean this year. Residents in hurricane-prone areas will probably have to get used to both earlier and more powerful hurricanes, according to climate scientists. Hurricanes are also known as cyclones and typhoons in other waters. AP A scale Hurricanes are categorized according to wind strength, where the numbers 1-5 are used. The scale is called Saffir-Simpson. It is category 4 and 5 that we will see more of in the future. Some researchers have suggested that the scale should go to 6, to give more room for hurricanes that grow in size and strength. Interested in abroad? Listen to the foreign affairs editor’s podcast: Published 26/09/2024, at 22.18 Updated 27.09.2024, at 08.06
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Hurricane “Helene” hit Florida – among the most powerful storms to hit the USA – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
