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Today’s top stories
Hurricane Helene weakened to a Category 1 storm as it moved north from Florida to Georgia after hitting Florida’s Big Bend region as a powerful Category 4 storm late Thursday. The storm made landfall with winds up to 140 miles per hour and a storm surge of 20 feet. Early reports say there have been three storm-related deaths. Helene could potentially cause destruction across a vast area of the South in the hours and days to come.
- 🎧 NPR’s Frank Morris tells Up First the storm made landfall in an area with dense tree cover, likely resulting in thousands of downed trees. Nearly 5,000 people in Florida spent the night in shelters. However, some, like 85-year-old James Judy, weathered the storm at his house , stating that he simply hates to leave home. This morning, the wind is subsiding, but there is a possibility of worsening rain, leading to widespread flash flooding and potential river flooding.