Weather & Science
Hurricane Helene Swells to Category 4 as It Nears Florida
- Rain threatens to unleash deadly flooding in several states
- Top winds reach 130 mph, threatening Tallahassee at landfall
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Helene grew to a Category 4 hurricane as it rapidly gained speed on its way toward Florida’s west coast, where the massive storm threatens to push a wall of water onshore and rake a large swath of the southeastern US with tree-snapping power.
The storm’s top winds are holding steady at 130 miles (209 kilometers) per hour but could increase in the coming hours, the US National Hurricane Center said at 8 p.m. local time. Helene is expected to make landfall late Thursday near St. Marks, Florida, about 20 miles south of the state capital Tallahassee, according to commercial forecaster AccuWeather.