ZULU – PORT IS CLOSED –TAMPA/PORT MANATEE/PORT CANAVERAL/JACKSONVILLE

YANKEE – NO INCOMING VESSELS, VESSELS IN PORT MUST BE PREPARED TO DEPART – CLOSURE WITHIN 24 HOURS. - SAVANNAH

X-RAY – NO SE PORTS

SEASONAL 4 - MIA/PORT EVERGLADES/CHARLESTON/WILMINGTON

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Hurricane Helene Advisory Number  15 - NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL       AL092024 - 1100 PM EDT Thu Sep 26 2024

 

...HURRICANE HELENE VERY CLOSE TO MAKING LANDFALL IN THE FLORIDA BIG BEND......ACCOMPANIED BY A CATASTROPHIC STORM SURGE AND LIFE-THREATENING WINDS...

 

SUMMARY OF 1100 PM EDT...0300 UTC...INFORMATION

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ABOUT 75 MI...120 KM NW OF CEDAR KEY FLORIDA

ABOUT 40 MI...70 KM SE OF TALLAHASSEE FLORIDA

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...140 MPH...220 KM/H

PRESENT MOVEMENT...NNE OR 15 DEGREES AT 24 MPH...39 KM/H

MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...938 MB...27.70 INCHES

 

WATCHES AND WARNINGS

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CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY:

 

None

 

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:

 

A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for...

* Mexico Beach eastward and southward to Flamingo

* Tampa Bay

* Charlotte Harbor

 

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for...

* Anclote River to Mexico Beach

 

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for...

* Englewood to Anclote River, including Tampa Bay

 

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...

* Florida Keys, including the Dry Tortugas

* Flamingo to Anclote River, including Tampa Bay

* West of Mexico Beach to the Okaloosa/Walton County Line

* Flamingo northward to Little River Inlet

* Lake Okeechobee

 

DISCUSSION AND OUTLOOK

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At 1100 PM EDT (0300 UTC), the center of Hurricane Helene was located near latitude 29.9 North, longitude 83.9 West. Helene is moving toward the north-northeast near 24 mph (39 km/h).  A turn toward the north is expected overnight, taking the center over Georgia.  The center of the hurricane should make landfall very soon in the Big Bend region of Florida.  After landfall, Helene is expected to turn northwestward and slow down over the Tennessee Valley on Friday and Saturday.

 

Maximum sustained winds are near 140 mph (220 km/h) with higher gusts.  Helene is an extremely dangerous category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.  Weakening is expected after Helene moves inland, but the fast forward speed will allow strong, damaging winds, especially in gusts, to penetrate well inland across the southeastern United States, including over the higher terrain of the southern Appalachians.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles (95 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 310 miles (500 km).  A sustained wind of 64 mph (103 km/h) with a gust to 84 mph (135 km/h) was recently reported at Cedar Key, Florida.   A gust of 83 mph (134 km/h) was recently reported at Steinhatchee, Florida.

The estimated minimum central pressure based on Hurricane Hunter aircraft observations is 938 mb (27.70 inches).

A NOAA National Ocean Service tide gauge located on Cedar Key recently reported a water level of 7.33 feet above mean higher high water.

 

NEXT ADVISORY – BY MORAN SHIPPING – 27/0500

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Next intermediate advisory at 200 AM EDT.

Next complete advisory at 500 AM EDT.