Hurricane Helene – UPDATE #10 – 9/26/2024

University of Florida officials are actively monitoring Hurricane Helene. Here is what we know:

Hurricane Helene has rapidly strengthened into a strong Category 4 hurricane, producing sustained winds of 135 mph, with stronger gusts, according to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center. By the time it makes landfall in the Big Bend of Florida overnight, forecasters expect the storm will have intensified, capable of producing winds that are in excess of 130 mph or stronger. Currently, Helene is 190 miles southwest of Gainesville.

Alachua County is under a Tornado Watch from now until 10 p.m. A Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect for portions of Alachua County, including Gainesville. Additionally, portions of Alachua County west of Interstate 75 are under a Hurricane Warning.

Hurricane Helene’s wind field has expanded, with tropical storm-force winds extending up to 310 miles from the center. As a result, there is a potential for winds between 58 and 73 mph at the UF campus in Gainesville as the storm passes through, according to the 5 p.m. localized advisory by the National Weather Service in Jacksonville.

Because of the storm’s size, most counties within the state, except for the western Panhandle, are under either a Hurricane or Tropical Storm Warning. Helene is expected to bring life-threatening storm surges, damaging winds, and flooding rains to large sections of Florida.

University of Florida classes are now canceled Friday, Sept. 27, and UF offices in Gainesville will remain closed until 12:01 a.m. Saturday,  Sept. 28. All UF units outside of Alachua County should follow the guidance and closures of their local governments.

Students, faculty, and staff should monitor ongoing forecasts. Additional preparedness information is available at: https://emergency.ufl.edu/get-ready.

Regularly check the UF homepage for updates. Any announcements regarding operational changes will be made through official UF channels, including the UF Alert Emergency Notification System.

For additional information, please visit National Hurricane Center.

Additional key links:
Commonly asked questions for UF students
Campus services and events updates
Alachua County Helene updates
Here’s how to prepare for hurricane season
Pre-storm preparation for students in UF housing
UF/IFAS Disaster Preparation & Recovery

This update was posted at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26.