Helene -- which has strengthened to a major Category 4 hurricane -- is taking aim at Florida, where it's forecast to make landfall along the Big Bend area on Thursday night.
Hurricane Helene close to landfall
Category 4 Hurricane Helene is closing in on landfall, which will likely happen within the hour. Winds remain sustained at 140 mph with gusts to 155 mph in the eye wall of this storm.
Helene is producing catastrophic winds that will be spreading onshore in Florida's Big Bend region over the next few hours.
Major flooding is happening as of 10 p.m. ET in the Tampa area, with over six feet of inundation.
"This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation," the National Hurricane Center said in an alert Thursday.
"Persons should not leave their shelters and remain in place through the passage of these life-threatening conditions," the statement concluded.
Nearly 700,000 without power in Florida
As of 10 p.m. ET, nearly 700,000 customers have lost power in Florida as Hurricane Helene nears landfall, according to poweroutage.us.
Tens of thousands more are without power in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
Hurricane Helene winds increase to 140 mph
Hurricane Helene has grown stronger as it nears landfall, with sustained winds of 140 mph.
As of 9 p.m. ET, the hurricane was 65 miles west of Cedar Key, Florida, and 90 miles south of Tallahassee.
The hurricane is moving at 24 mph and is still on track to make landfall between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET.
Extreme wind warning issued for Tallahassee area
The National Weather Service issued an extreme wind warning for three cities in the Tallahassee area on Thursday night.
The warning is in effect until midnight in Perry, Madison and Monticello.
"Treat these imminent extreme winds as if a tornado was approaching and move immediately to an interior room or shelter NOW!" the agency said.
Public health emergency declared in Florida: HHS
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra has declared a public health emergency in Florida ahead of Hurricane Helene’s landfall.
Becerra said about 150 emergency responders, as well as medical equipment and supplies, would be deployed "to help protect the delivery of health care services in the storm's path."
"We will do all we can to assist Florida officials with responding to the health impacts of Hurricane Helene," said Becerra. "We are working closely with state and local health authorities, as well as our partners across the federal government, and stand ready to provide additional public health and medical support."