Gov. DeSantis expects Helene landfall near Taylor County, says there’s still time to get out before landfall

DeSantis AP
The storm should hit land before midnight.

Hurricane Helene is bearing down on Florida’s Big Bend, and Gov. Ron DeSantis is urging people who may be in harm’s way of the major hurricane to evacuate and “get out of Dodge” if they’re going … before it’s too late.

During remarks at the Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee, DeSantis noted that the storm, which is 175 miles south of Tallahassee at this writing, will make landfall around 11:00 p.m.

Projections show the storm landing anywhere “from the Wakulla/Jefferson County line over to Taylor. Most of the data we have shows a Taylor landfall,” DeSantis said, again suggesting impacts to the same areas strafed by Idalia in 2023.

The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office has offered warnings, including a Facebook post telling those who don’t evacuate to “PLEASE write your Name, birthday and important information on your arm or leg in a PERMANENT MARKER so that you can be identified and family notified.”

DeSantis said stragglers “still have time to evacuate” to shelters, including in Leon County which was expected to bear the brunt of the storm as recently as Wednesday.

“If you see the potential for storm surge, you still have time to do it,” DeSantis said.

Asked about the Facebook post, DeSantis said people have time to “effectuate those evacuations,” but said “state policy” didn’t call for the use of markers on limbs for non-evacuees to identify themselves.

The surge could be up to 20 feet in the unlucky area where Helene hits Thursday night. DeSantis said coastal Levy and Dixie residents could also see the worst of it.

“Even if it’s 10 feet, that’s really significant.”

For those sheltering at home, DeSantis advises people to “be cognizant of trees around you,” since “even as (the storm) moves inland, you’re going to see trees that are falling down.”

He also urges people not to misinterpret a break in the action.

“If you have really severe weather and it gets calm, chances are you’re in the eye of the storm,” DeSantis said.

Additionally, the Governor urges people to be cognizant of impacts from downpours, urging them to “watch the standing water” and “don’t drive through the flooded streets.”

A.G. Gancarski

A.G. Gancarski has been the Northeast Florida correspondent for Florida Politics since 2014. He writes for the New York Post and National Review also, with previous work in the American Conservative and Washington Times and a 15+ year run as a columnist in Folio Weekly. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski


4 comments

  • Cat 5 Helene

    September 26, 2024 at 7:16 pm

    Lots of time the eyewall does a correction , before during the replacement cycle Google Hurricane Eye Replacement Cycle

    Reply

    • Frankie M.

      September 26, 2024 at 7:42 pm

      Why would anyone listen to Ronnie?.He’s been wrong about everything. Might as well call himself Chicken Little. Move on folks. Nothing to see here.

      Reply

      • Cat 5 Helene

        September 26, 2024 at 7:57 pm

        The European model got headed to Perry and US got it a little east.of Tallahassee,but it do not matter people in Tallahassee will under hurricane conditions for 6 hours into the morning ,still time to go west of Tallahassee at 8 pm time is running late

        Reply

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