LATEST: Hurricane Helene has traveled north from Florida into Georgia and was about 100 miles (160 kilometers) from Augusta and 40 miles (65 kilometers) from Macon, traveling at about 30 miles (48 kilometers) per hour, the Miami hurricane center said in a 4 a.m. update.

The hurricane roared ashore in northwest Florida late Thursday as a powerful Category 4 storm, bringing catastrophic winds and heavy rain that left millions without power and prompted emergency declarations in multiple states.

The storm has prompted hurricane and flash flood warnings extending as far inland as northern Georgia and western North Carolina, with forecasters warning of hazardous conditions well beyond the coast. Maps from weather forecaster Windy.com show the path and damage.

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Helene storm path tracker

As Hurricane Helene moved inland, the storm claimed its first victims: one person was killed in Florida when a sign fell on their car, while two others were reported dead in South Georgia, where a possible tornado struck as the storm approached.

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“When Floridians wake up tomorrow morning, we will wake up to a situation in which there will very likely be more loss of life and certainly more property lost,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said Thursday evening at the news. conference, highlighting the storm’s deadly toll.

Helene satellite tracker

Weather satellites are monitoring Hurricane Helene’s approach toward the Florida coast, capturing the storm’s increasing threat from space. The hurricane’s impact extends beyond the ground, forcing NASA and SpaceX to postpone the planned launch of a new crew to the International Space Station due to hazardous conditions. According to NASA’s Rob Navias, the International Space Station will make a second, more direct pass over Hurricane Helene at 2:25 PM EDT (1825 GMT), providing about five minutes of close-up images of the storm. Although the flyover will not be broadcast live, NASA plans to release the recorded footage through the NASA+ streaming service and its social media channels.

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Helene storm surge meter

The weather service warned that storm surges could be particularly “catastrophic and insurmountable” in Apalachee Bay. “Please, please, please take all evacuation orders seriously!” the office said, describing the golf scenario as “a nightmare.” Federal authorities have deployed search and rescue teams. Michael Brennan, director of the National Hurricane Center, said: “A truly insurmountable scenario is about to play out.”

Rainfall tracker by Helene

Hurricane Helene’s reach extended well beyond Florida, flooding North Carolina’s mountains with as much as 10 inches of rain, and forecasters warned that as much as 14 inches more could fall before the storm moves away. Officials warned that the resulting flooding could be the worst the region has seen in the past century.

Meanwhile, heavy rain and high winds began hitting Valdosta, Georgia, near the Florida border, on Thursday. The National Weather Service reported that more than a dozen Georgia counties could be hit by hurricane winds of more than 110 miles per hour (177 kilometers per hour) as Helene continued its destructive march north.

Helene gust tracker

The National Hurricane Center in Miami reported that Hurricane Helene roared ashore near the mouth of the Aucilla River in the Big Bend region of Florida. The storm reached maximum sustained winds of 140 miles per hour, making it a powerful Category 4 system. This location is just 20 miles (32 kilometers) northwest of where Hurricane Idalia made landfall last year with nearly the same intensity, causing widespread damage throughout the region.

Helene golf tracker

Waves of up to 20 feet are forecast to pound Florida’s coastline as the “very dangerous” weather pattern weighs on the state. Authorities are bracing for widespread damage to boats, port infrastructure, beaches, wildlife and homes near the coast. “Helene continues to produce catastrophic winds that are now pushing into southern Georgia,” the National Hurricane Center warned in a 1 a.m. update Friday. “Individuals should not leave their shelters and remain in place during the expiration of these life-threatening conditions.”

This article contains reporting from The Associated Press