PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — While Rhode Island won’t be directly affected by now-Category 4 Hurricane Helene, its ripple effects were felt locally Thursday as all flights departing from Tampa and Sarasota were canceled at T.F. Green Airport .
Some Rhode Islanders told 12 News they drove from the Gulf Coast to Orlando to find a different way home.
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Many travelers were relieved to have arrived safely, fearing they might have been stranded in Florida as the storm approached. However, others said they were not worried.
Mary Smith, of Middletown, was visiting her daughter in Orlando, which isn’t expected to experience severe weather.
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“My daughter has taken some precautions to make sure she stocked up on bottled water just in case, but they’re only anticipating possibly some road flooding because of the heavy rain, but nothing really significant,” Smith explained.
Meanwhile, the Big Bend region of Florida is bracing for “catastrophic” storm surges and winds over 100 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.