Florida
Helene makes landfall in northwestern Florida as a Category 4 hurricane
CRAWFORDVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Hurricane Helene made landfall in northwestern Florida as a Category 4 storm as forecasters warned that the enormous system could create a “nightmare” storm surge and bring dangerous winds and rain across much of the southeastern U.S. There were at least three storm-related deaths.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Helene roared ashore around 11:10 p.m. Thursday near the mouth of the Aucilla River in the Big Bend area of Florida’s Gulf Coast. It had maximum sustained winds estimated at 140 mph (225 kph). That location was only about 20 miles (32 kilometers) northwest of where Hurricane Idalia came ashore last year at nearly the same ferocity and caused widespread damage.
Helene prompted hurricane and flash flood warnings extending far beyond the coast up into northern Georgia and western North Carolina. More than 1.2 million homes and businesses were without power in Florida, more than 190,000 in Georgia and more than 30,000 in the Carolinas, according to the tracking site poweroutage.us. The governors of those states and Alabama and Virginia all declared emergencies.
One person was killed in Florida when a sign fell on their car and two people were reported killed in a possible tornado in south Georgia as the storm approached.
“When Floridians wake up tomorrow morning, we’re going to be waking up to a state where very likely there’s been additional loss of life and certainly there’s going to be loss of property,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a news conference Thursday night.
Helene was moving rapidly inland after making landfall, with the center of the storm set to race from southern to northern Georgia through early Friday morning. The risk of tornadoes also would continue overnight and into the morning across north and central Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and southern North Carolina, forecasters said. Later Friday, there would be the risk of tornadoes in Virginia.
“Helene continues to produce catastrophic winds that are now pushing into southern Georgia,” the hurricane center said in an update at 1 a.m. Friday. “Persons should not leave their shelters and remain in place through the passage of these life-threatening conditions.”
The hurricane’s eye passed near Valdosta, Georgia, as the storm churned rapidly north into Georgia Thursday night. The National Hurricane Center issued an extreme wind warning for the area, meaning possible hurricane-force winds exceeding 115 mph (185 kph).
Flooded streets after the Hurricane Helene are seen in Madeira Beach, Fla.,Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (Max Chesnes/Tampa Bay Times via AP)
At a hotel in the city of 55,000 near the Florida line, dozens of people huddled in the darkened lobby after midnight Friday as winds whistled and howled outside. Electricity was out, with hall emergency lights, flashlights and cellphones providing the only illumination. Water dripped from light fixtures in the lobby dining area and roof debris fell to the ground outside.
Fermin Herrera, 20, his wife and their 2-month-old daughter left their room on the top floor of the hotel, where they took shelter because they were concerned about trees falling on their Valdosta home.
“We heard some rumbling,” said Herrera, cradling the sleeping baby in a downstairs hallway. “We didn’t see anything at first. After a while the intensity picked up. It looked like a gutter that was banging against our window. So we made a decision to leave.”
Helene is the third storm to strike the city in just over a year. Tropical Storm Debby blacked out power to thousands in August, while Hurricane Idalia damaged an estimated 1,000 homes in Valdosta and surrounding Lowndes County a year ago.
“I feel like a lot of us know what to do now,” Herrera said. “We’ve seen some storms and grown some thicker skins.”
Even before landfall, the storm’s wrath was felt widely, with sustained tropical storm-force winds and hurricane-force gusts along Florida’s west coast. Water lapped over a road in Siesta Key near Sarasota and covered some intersections in St. Pete Beach. Lumber and other debris from a fire in Cedar Key a week ago crashed ashore in the rising water.
Beyond Florida, up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain had fallen in the North Carolina mountains, with up to 14 inches (36 centimeters) more possible before the deluge ends, setting the stage for flooding that forecasters warned could be worse than anything seen in the past century.
Heavy rains began falling and winds were picking up earlier Thursday in Valdosta, Georgia, near the Florida state line. The weather service said more than a dozen Georgia counties could see hurricane-force winds exceeding 110 mph (177 kph).
In south Georgia, two people were killed when a possible tornado struck a mobile home on Thursday night, Wheeler County Sheriff Randy Rigdon told WMAZ-TV. Wheeler County is about 70 miles (113 kilometers) southeast of Macon.
The storm made landfall in the sparsely-populated Big Bend area, home to fishing villages and vacation hideaways where Florida’s Panhandle and peninsula meet.
“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,” the sheriff’s office in mostly rural Taylor County warned those who chose not to evacuate in a Facebook post, the dire advice similar to what other officials have dolled out during past hurricanes.
Still, Philip Tooke, a commercial fisherman who took over the business his father founded near the region’s Apalachee Bay, planned to ride out this storm like he did during Hurricane Michael and the others — on his boat. “If I lose that, I don’t have anything,” Tooke said. Michael, a Category 5 storm, all but destroyed one town, fractured thousands of homes and businesses and caused some $25 billion in damage when it struck the Florida Panhandle in 2018.
Many, though, were heeding the mandatory evacuation orders that stretched from the Panhandle south along the Gulf Coast in low-lying areas around Tallahassee, Gainesville, Cedar Key, Lake City, Tampa and Sarasota.
Among them were Cindy Waymon and her husband, who went to a shelter in Tallahassee after securing their home and packing medications, snacks and drinks. They wanted to stay safe given the magnitude of the storm, she said.
“This is the first time we’ve actually come to a shelter, because of the complexities of the storm and the uncertainties,” she said.
Federal authorities staged search-and-rescue teams as the weather service forecast storm surges of up to 20 feet (6 meters) and warned they could be particularly “catastrophic and unsurvivable” in Apalachee Bay.
“Please, please, please take any evacuation orders seriously!” the office said, describing the surge scenario as “a nightmare.”
This stretch of Florida known as the Forgotten Coast has been largely spared by the widespread condo development and commercialization that dominates so many of Florida’s beach communities. The region is loved for its natural wonders including the vast stretches of salt marshes, tidal pools and barrier islands.
“You live down here, you run the risk of losing everything to a bad storm,” said Anthony Godwin, who lives about a half-mile (800 meters) from the water in the coastal town of Panacea, as he stopped for gas before heading west toward his sister’s house in Pensacola.
School districts and multiple universities canceled classes. Airports in Tampa, Tallahassee and Clearwater were closed Thursday, while cancellations were widespread elsewhere in Florida and beyond.
While Helene will likely weaken as it moves inland, damaging winds and heavy rain were expected to extend to the southern Appalachian Mountains, where landslides were possible, forecasters said. Tennessee was among the states expected to get drenched.
Helene had swamped parts of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula on Wednesday, flooding streets and toppling trees as it passed offshore and brushed the resort city of Cancun. In western Cuba, Helene knocked out power to more than 200,000 homes and businesses as it brushed past the island.
Areas 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of the Georgia-Florida line expected hurricane conditions. The state opened its parks to evacuees and their pets, including horses. Overnight curfews were imposed in many cities and counties in south Georgia.
“This is one of the biggest storms we’ve ever had,” Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said.
For Atlanta, Helene could be the worst strike on a major Southern inland city in 35 years, said University of Georgia meteorology professor Marshall Shepherd.
Helene is the eighth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which began June 1. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted an above-average Atlantic hurricane season this year because of record-warm ocean temperatures.
___
Hollingsworth reported from Kansas City, Missouri. Associated Press journalists Seth Borenstein in New York, Jeff Amy in Atlanta, Russ Bynum in Valdosta, Georgia, Danica Coto in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Andrea Rodríguez in Havana, Mark Stevenson and María Verza in Mexico City and Claire Rush in Portland, Oregon, contributed to this report.
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Florida State football is staring down the prospect of its worst season since Bobby Bowden transformed it into a national powerhouse. A loss to North Carolina today would clinch the Seminoles’ worst record since 1975, when Darrell Mudra finished 3-8 in the final pre-Bowden year.
Few saw FSU starting 1-7 after Mike Norvell led the team to the brink of the College Football Playoff one short year ago. The Seminoles are fresh off a fourth straight loss at No. 5 Miami, where neither quarterback Brock Glenn nor Luke Kromenhoek completed half their passes. True freshman Kromenhoek did show his talent as a runner, leading FSU with 71 rushing yards.
UNC is also struggling this season, though their 4-4 record at least makes bowl eligibility a possibility. Coach Mack Brown snapped a four-game losing skid with a 41-14 win at Virginia last week. FSU’s top task will be slowing down running back Omarion Hampton, who is fifth in the nation with 1,006 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. Tar Heels quarterback Jacolby Criswell has 1,600 passing yards and 10 TDs against just three interceptions.
Here’s how to watch the FSU game, including time, TV schedule and streaming information:
What channel is Florida State football vs North Carolina on today?
TV channel: ACC Network
Livestream: ESPN+ | Fubo (free trial)
Florida State vs. North Carolina will broadcast nationally on ACC Network in Week 10 of the 2024 college football season. Chris Cotter and Mark Herzlich will call the game from the booth at Doak Campbell Stadium, with Coley Harvey reporting from the sidelines. Streaming options for the game include ESPN+ and Fubo, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.
Watch FSU vs North Carolina live on Fubo (free trial)
FSU football vs North Carolina time today
- Date: Saturday, November 2
- Start time: 3:30 p.m. ET
The Florida State vs North Carolina game starts at 3:30 p.m. from Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida.
Florida State football vs North Carolina predictions, picks, odds
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Thursday, Oct. 231.
UNC 27, FSU 13: The Seminoles’ year of unfortunate firsts continues as Brown gets his first win over his alma mater and FSU loses its fifth straight game. – Liam Rooney
ODDS: UNC by 2½
O/U: 50½
Florida State football schedule 2024
- August 24: vs. Georgia Tech* in Dublin, Ireland (L 24-21)
- September 2: vs. Boston College* (L 28-13)
- September 7: Open
- September 14: vs. Memphis (L 20-12)
- September 21: vs. California* (W 14-9)
- September 28: at SMU* (L 42-16)
- October 5: vs. Clemson* (L 29-13)
- October 12: Open
- October 18: at Duke* (L 23-16)
- October 26: at Miami* (L 36-14)
- November 2: vs. North Carolina*, 3:30 p.m.
- November 9: at Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m.
- November 16: Open
- November 23: vs. Charleston Southern
- November 30: vs. Florida
- Record: 1-7 (1-6 in ACC)
* – ACC game
North Carolina football schedule 2024
- August 29: at Minnesota (W 19-17)
- September 7: vs Charlotte (W 38-20)
- September 14: vs NC Central (W 45-10)
- September 21: vs James Madison (L 70-50)
- September 28: at Duke* (L 21-20)
- October 5: vs Pittsburgh* (L 34-24)
- October 12: vs Georgia Tech* (L 41-34)
- October 19: Open
- October 26: at Virginia* (W 41-14)
- November 2: at Florida State*, 3:30 p.m.
- November 9: Open
- November 16: vs Wake Forest*
- November 23: at Boston College*
- November 30: vs NC State*
- Record: 4-4 (1-3 in ACC)
* – ACC game
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VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – A trio of Florida trick-or-treaters were caught on camera sharing their treats.
The “sweet” video captured by a Ring camera shows the kids approach the empty bowl at a Volusia County home.
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood posted the video of the kids chatting for a second, then they took candy from their sacks to refill the bowl for the next kids who came along.
“These parents should be proud,” said Chitwood in his post.
Last year, a South Florida teen did the very same thing.
Gabby Parisotti had no idea she was being recorded, but her act of kindness went viral last year. She spoke to Local 10 News’ Christian De La Rosa about what inspired her.
“Well, there was a little girl behind me, and we went up to the house and there was no candy, and I felt bad. She was really cute, so I just decided to put some in, and I never knew there was a camera or anything,” she said. “I put the candy in, and I just walked out.”
The video has since been seen and celebrated over 11 million times on social media.
Copyright 2024 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.
The first two-thirds of the 2024 season are over and Florida State has just one win to show for it through eight games. Though no longer bowl-eligible, the Seminoles have an opportunity to end the season on a strong note and carry some momentum into the offseason after a disappointing year. The good news is that FSU will play three of its final four games at home, the bad news is that three of those four opponents (North Carolina, Notre Dame, Florida) are all fighting for a shot at the postseason.
The Seminoles do have a long streak in their favor entering the matchup against the North Carolina Tar Heels on Saturday afternoon. North Carolina head coach Mack Brown is 0-11 against Florida State (0-8 at UNC, 0-3 at Tulane) dating back to his first matchup against the program in 1985. This is probably the best chance Brown will have to defeat FSU, considering the way the season has gone thus far in Tallahassee.
North Carolina is coming off a win over Virginia where its defense recorded a whopping ten sacks. That could present an issue for a Florida State offensive line that has started seven different starting combinations in eight games. Plus, the Tar Heels are averaging 190.8 rushing yards per game, led by Omarion Hampton, who has already crossed the 1,000+ mark in just eight appearances.
READ MORE: UNC Head Coach Mack Brown Discusses FSU Ahead Of Return To Tallahassee
Our staff provides their predictions and analysis as the Seminoles prepare to take on the Tar Heels.
Another weekend, another embarrassing loss for Florida State. Falling by 3+ touchdowns to Miami is unacceptable in any year, even if this is sizing up to be arguably the worst in program history. The majority of the goodwill the Seminoles have built up over the last two years has essentially been thrown into the trash and it’s clear major changes are needed if Mike Norvell is going to remain in Tallahassee long-term.
At this point, with eight games played, it’s hard to believe that FSU can do anything to fix its pathetic offense. The Seminoles have tried quarterback changes, they’ve played younger skill players, they’ve tinkered with the offensive line, and nothing has worked. When something does finally start to go right, Florida State shoots itself right in the foot with a bad pass, dropped ball, missed block, or penalty. It feels like an episode of ‘Punk’d’ with Ashton Kutcher each weekend spending four quarters watching this offense.
The defense has been playing slightly better but there’s still much to be desired. Three of the starting four of the defensive front were missing in action against Miami as Marvin Jones Jr., Patrick Payton, and Joshua Farmer combined for one tackle in 156 snaps last Saturday. That’s unbelievably bad and it’s worse when you figure out that redshirt freshman KJ Sampson recorded six tackles in just 17 snaps.
I don’t know why anything would get better against North Carolina when this team has nothing left to play for. I also thought the practice I viewed on Wednesday was arguably the worst of the season. There’s not really much of a reason to think positively going into a matchup against the Tar Heels, who are still trying to clinch bowl eligibility. It might get ugly on Saturday.
2024 Season Prediction Record: 5-3
Tar Heels 38, Seminoles 13
This one I’m going to keep fairly short because of two stats that standout to me.
Number one: North Carolina is ranked 29th in the country in points per game at 32.3. Yes, you can say they’ve faced bad teams to score those points. Surprise! FSU is a bad football team. Doesn’t matter.
Number two: The Tar Heels are averaging 3.3 sacks per game, which is seventh in the country. They recorded 10 sacks LAST WEEKEND against Virginia. Yes, Virginia is not a good team. Surprise! Florida State is worse. And don’t get me started about the Seminoles’ offensive line.
2024 Season Prediction Record: 5-3
Tar Heels 28, Seminoles 16
I don’t care how bad a team’s defense is, Florida State’s offense is worse. Omarion Hampton will likely run all over FSU’s defense, and the offense won’t be enough to overcome it. UNC’s passing game has been rough, but it won’t matter towards the final result.
2024 Season Prediction Record: 4-4
Tar Heels 23, Seminoles 10
Florida State has shown little development over the course of eight weeks. Therefore, the ‘Noles have left me with little reason to think anything will be different going forward. The statistics aren’t far off from that belief, as well. UNC has given up an average of 28.4 points per game, which ranks 96th among FBS programs. However, that average is significantly affected by a 70-point performance from James Madison earlier in the season. For the most part, UNC is a middle-of-the-road team, with team averages that rank in the 30-40 range when compared to the rest of the country.
The problem here is that Florida State is statistically poor in all respects. The rushing attack ranks 131st, the passing attack has dipped into the low 100 range, and the defense yields an average of 379.4 yards and 26.4 points per game. FSU’s most glaring issue, however, is their inability to find the end zone. The ‘Noles average the nation’s second worst scoring offense at 14.9 points per game, and as is common knowledge at this point, they are the only FBS team to not score more than 21 points at any point this season. Despite improvements from the defensive side of the ball, Florida State’s offense remains dead in the water. As long as that’s the case, there’s very little reason to believe that the Seminoles can outscore any of their opponents, especially a UNC team that hasn’t scored less than 20 since their Week 1 game against Minnesota.
The outlook is grim, and it’s not hard to see why. ESPN’s matchup predictor positions UNC as the slight favorite to leave with a victory at 52.9%, which means this game is essentially a coin flip. Vegas oddsmakers share this sentiment with a spread of just (-2) in favor of the Tar Heels at the time of writing this article. For all intents and purposes, most believe the game is a toss-up, and one that the ‘Noles can potentially win. As I’ve stated before, I’ve seen little from the ‘Noles that showcase a team that is capable of scoring enough to keep the Tar Heels close, especially a Tar Heel team that is coming off consecutive performances of 30+ points.
I believe the Seminole defense will keep things within striking distance for a large majority of the game, but offensive deficiencies will keep the ‘Noles off of the board and allow the Tar Heels to slowly accumulate points and eventually push things out of reach. Unfortunately, the Florida State home crowd will have to watch yet another first come off of the board for an FSU opponent. UNC will leave Tallahassee with the first win over the ‘Noles for a Mack Brown-led football program in the history of the coach’s illustrious career. In the meantime, I’ll be praying for some sort of Halloween miracle on behalf of the ‘Noles.
2024 Season Prediction Record: 4-4
Tar Heels 31, Seminoles 17
There can’t be much of a case made for Florida State this season. The record speaks for itself, and it appears that whatever transfers they’ve brought in to replenish their team have either been wrought with injury or, for the most part, been misevaluated. There needs to be a spark on offense for any chance at a win this weekend.
It is a home game, and Norvell is arguably the better coach, but if there isn’t anything happening in the offensive line and receiver rooms, the trickle-down effect will likely provide another anemic glimpse into a team that has been put through the wringer, unable to outperform their competition.
This is a tough game to predict because Florida State has a very talented defensive front and secondary that have started to make strides in the right direction, but there have been no answers at wide receiver aside from Ja’Khi Douglas and some of the newcomers on offense. Running backs Lawrance Toafili and Sam Singleton have been bright spots, but in the absence of the players that were brought in, they’ve seemed to be the only bullets in what was once a fully loaded FSU team last year.
Doom and gloom isn’t necessarily my thing, but the two biggest flags that stand out for me are Florida State’s inability to score more than 21 points all season (averaging around 14 per game) and the fact that UNC has a 1,000-yard rusher going against a defensive line that has struggled against the run.
It is a little weird that the over/under is 50.5, and UNC is only favored by 2.5. I’m going to go with UNC winning by three scores.
2024 Season Prediction Record: 4-4
Tar Heels 35, Seminoles 14
The Florida State Seminoles’ disastrous season will be one game closer to the end, though it won’t come without a tough loss. North Carolina has proven capable of scoring points, which the Seminoles have struggled with. The Seminoles will take yet another tough loss while the young guys are showing flashes of the future.
2024 Season Prediction Record: 5-3
Tar Heels 31, Seminoles 17
It’s hard to see any hope in this team, week after week they continue to give me no sense of optimism that things are heading in the right direction this season, and even though even just a few weeks ago I still had hope that the Seminoles would be able to get another win this weekend, I no longer have reason to believe that is going to happen. The Tar Heels are coming off their best win of the season after blowing out Virginia 41-14, and even though I think that the Florida State defense will keep the score a bit lower, this UNC team has scored more than 34 points in five of their eight games, meaning that even though they sit at 4-4, they still have some offensive production, which is what is missing in Tallahassee this year.
2024 Season Prediction Record: 4-4
Tar Heels 31, Seminoles 13
If Florida State cannot stop the run, I just don’t see a path to victory for them. North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton is fourth in nation in rushing yards. The FSU run defense is, uh, not so great in that regard.
The UNC defense is not exceptional either. They are in the middle of the pack (nationwide) stopping the run and in the bottom tier against the pass.
However, UNC has the luxury of being proficient in what FSU struggles defending, which of course is the run game. The FSU offense isn’t really proficient in anything.
Therefore, it appears the Seminoles will have to either force turnovers, stop the run, hold on to the ball for a while and score with the minimal chances they receive, or win in a shootout.
I truly don’t see any one of those happening, because they haven’t proven they could accomplish those feats against anyone all year.
2024 Season Prediction Record: 4-4
Tar Heels 27, Seminoles 17
CONSENSUS: North Carolina (8-0)
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