LIVE UPDATE: Helene weakens to tropical storm after slamming Florida’s Big Bend

ORLANDO, Fla. — Channel 9 has crews around Florida covering the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

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7:50 a.m. update:

ABC News is reporting six people have died as a direct result of Hurricane Helene.

Officials have reported one death in Florida, four in Georgia, and one in North Carolina.

First responders are still actively looking for additional victims.

7:25 a.m. update:

Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to give an update Friday morning in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

DeSantis is planning to hold a news conference at 9 a.m. from the State Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee.

We will have live coverage of DeSantis’s news conference on Channel 9 and wftv.com.

6:35 a.m. update:

Channel 9 meteorologists are monitoring a new area of disturbance in the Caribbean that could develop into a tropical system.

The National Hurricane Center says the low-pressure area has a less than 40% chance of development over the next week.

It’s still too soon to know where the system could go or how strong it could be if it becomes a named storm.

Channel 9 will continue to monitor all tropical activity and provide updates on Eyewitness News.

5:45 a.m. update:

Helene weakened to a strong tropical storm Friday morning.

Helene is moving farther inland over Georgia. The center of the storm is around nine miles from Atlanta.

Coastal areas of Georgia are still seeing life-threatening storm surges, strong winds and heavy rains.

Strong and fast-moving outer rain bands from Helene are still moving through parts of Central Florida.

4:55 a.m. update:

Hurricane Helene is rapidly moving north through Central Georgia.

It’s still unclear the extent of the damage that was left behind after Helene made landfall in Florida overnight.

Helene continues to produce hurricane-force winds and heavy rainfall.

A weather station at the University of Georgia reported 77 mph wind gusts Friday morning.

Read: Hurricane evacuation: Helpful apps for finding gas, hotel rooms, traffic routes

Eyewitness News This Morning has live coverage of Helene’s aftermath on Channel 9.

Original report:

Helene has made landfall in the Florida Big Bend as a Category 4 major hurricane.

The storm made landfall just east of the mouth of the Aucilla River.

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Florida First Responders respond to Hurricane Helene Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (WFTV)

This is 10 miles west-southwest of Perry.

Winds are at 140 mph with a minimum pressure of 938 MB.

Watch: Utility companies across Central Florida brace for Helene

This is the strongest hurricane to hit the Big Bend area in recorded history.

TIMELINE: Hurricane Helene updates Sept. 26

Hurricane Helene makes landfall in the Big Bend The storm made landfall just east of the mouth of the Aucilla River. This is 10 miles west-southwest of Perry. (WFTV)

Follow our Severe Weather team on X for live updates:

• Chief meteorologist Tom Terry
• Brian Shields
• Kassandra Crimi
• David Heckard

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