Major airports close as South braces for Hurricane Helene: ‘Cancel your flights now’
Airports are bracing for the impact of Hurricane Helene by announcing closures as the storm strengthens along the Gulf of Mexico on its way to Florida.
Hurricane-force winds could be felt far inland Wednesday afternoon, with weather forecasters predicting the winds will quickly move northward into southern Georgia after hitting Florida.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center has issued hurricane warnings for part of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and the northwestern coastline of Florida, where major storm surges of up to 15 feet (4.5 meters) are expected.
Two Florida airports — Tampa International Airport and St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport — have announced they will be closed due to the storms.
“Tampa International Airport will suspend all commercial and cargo flights beginning at 2 a.m. Thursday in response to Hurricane Helene. The airport will remain closed to the public until storm damage can be assessed,” the airport said.
Hurricane-force winds could be felt far inland on Wednesday as Hurricane Helene is expected to gain strength as it barrels toward Florida and the southern US.
Tampa International Airport (pictured) and St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport have announced they will be closing soon in anticipation of the storms.
At least 24 Florida counties have been issued evacuation orders ahead of the storm
“The three other public airports operated by the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority — Peter O. Knight, Tampa Executive and Plant City Airports — will also close at 2 a.m. Thursday.”
St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport will be closed after the last flight arrives on Wednesday because it is in a mandatory evacuation zone. The airport will reopen on Friday.
Major airlines including American Airlines, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, United and Frontier have issued travel warnings for passengers flying to and from Florida and Georgia, according to ABC News.
The Department of Transportation does not require airlines to offer customers a full refund if a flight is canceled or significantly delayed due to weather conditions.
In preparation for Hurricane Helene’s approach to Florida, at least 24 counties in the state were under evacuation orders Wednesday afternoon, the state’s Emergency Management Division said.
Governor Ron DeSantis warned Florida residents they could face widespread power outages, heavy rains and strong winds.
“Know that these impacts are coming to the state of Florida, and it’s not a question of if we’re going to have impacts, it’s just a question of how significant those impacts are going to be,” he said. “The eye of the storm is coming to this region.”
People fill sandbags in Florida in preparation for Hurricane Helene, which is expected to bring life-threatening storm surge
People gather sand in preparation for possible flooding in Helene, which could total 5 to 10 inches of rain
More than 30 counties in southern Georgia were issued a hurricane warning by the National Weather Service, including several rural areas about 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of the Georgia-Florida border.
The hurricane warning area for Georgia included Albany, the largest city in southwest Georgia with a population of 67,000, and Valdosta, with a population of 55,000 along Interstate 75.
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency Wednesday over Hurricane Helene as the state prepares for extreme weather that could threaten lives and property through Saturday morning.
“Helene poses a threat of heavy rainfall, flooding, landslides and damaging winds across the mountains and Piedmont regions of our state,” Cooper said.
“Now is the time for North Carolinians to prepare, make sure their emergency kits are up to date and pay attention to weather alerts in their area.”
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster has also declared a state of emergency, advising residents to monitor local weather forecasts and take appropriate precautions.
“While South Carolina will likely avoid the worst impacts from Hurricane Helene, the storm is still expected to bring dangerous flooding, high winds and isolated tornadoes to many parts of the state,” McMaster said.
Helene pelted Mexican resorts along the Caribbean coast on Wednesday, from Cozumel to Cancun (photo)
Waves and strong winds caused by Hurricane Helene in Cancun
The National Hurricane Center is predicting a life-threatening storm surge from Helene across the entire Florida peninsula and Florida Big Bend. The surge will intensify and is expected to make landfall on Thursday.
“Tropical storm strength is expected in southern Florida later today, expanding northward across the remainder of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina through Thursday,” the center said.
‘Over the southeastern U.S. into the southern Appalachians, Helene is expected to bring total rainfall amounts of 5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 centimeters), with isolated amounts of around 15 inches (38 centimeters).’
Helene battered Mexico’s Caribbean coast resorts from Cozumel to Cancun on Wednesday morning with rain, high waves and strong winds.
Showers and thunderstorms are already raging in the Caribbean and surrounding areas of Central America. Localized flooding and mudslides are expected.