Hurricane Helene slammed into Florida’s Gulf Coast, making landfall late Thursday as a powerful Category 4 storm, bringing with 140 mph winds, torrential rain and a record storm surge before moving inland across Georgia and the Carolinas. Helene made landfall near Perry, Fla., on Thursday night as a monster Category 4 storm.

Helene was one of the most powerful storms to hit Florida’s Big Bend in a lifetime, and damages across the region are mounting from the water and wind.

Tampa Bay area of Florida, particularly St. Petersburg, was hit hard by Hurricane Helene, which made landfall as a Category 4 storm Sept. 26, 2024.