Scripps News | Helene downgrades to tropical storm after making landfall as Cat 4 hurricane @scrippsnews | Uploaded September 2024 | Updated October 2024, 3 days ago.
Hours after Helene made landfall on the Florida Gulf Coast, the system was downgraded to a tropical storm as it moved away from the extremely warm Gulf of Mexico that allowed it to grow into a monster hurricane.

Late Thursday, Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane about 10 miles from Perry, Florida. At the time, it had top sustained winds of 140 mph. Hurricane-force winds extended 60 miles from its center, while tropical storm-force winds extended up to 310 miles from the center.

As of early Friday morning, Tropical Storm Helene had 70 mph as it spun about 40 miles east of Macon, Georgia. The storm was moving north at 30 mph.

Although Helene is no longer capable of producing catastrophic winds, it is still powerful enough to deliver a breeze gusty enough to knock out power to millions. Tropical storm warnings still extend into the Carolinas, and high wind warnings were issued in parts of Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana.

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