(This story was updated to accurately reflect the most current information.)
Hurricane Helene, a Category 4 storm, made landfall late Thursday in Florida’s Big Bend area. Marion County was spared a direct hit, but outer bands of the storm brought wind, rain and power outages. Stay tuned here Friday for a report on how Marion fared during the storm.
The Citizen Information Line will close at noon on Friday
Marion County’s Citizen Information Line is scheduled to close at noon Friday. Until then, residents can call the number (352-369-7500) to report trees and powerlines down or ask storm-related questions.
— Jim Ross
How much rain did Ocala get during Hurricane Helene?
Rainfall was under an inch in some sections of the county, emergency management officials said. They’re still trying to determine the top wind gust.
— Austin L. Miller
How many people wound up in the shelter at West Port High School in Ocala?
At West Port High School, which served as the lone shelter in Marion County, there were 57 people riding out the storm. Of those, 32 were special-need clients. There also were nine dogs, three cats and two rabbits at the shelter, officials said.