Category 4 Hurricane Helene made landfall shortly after 11 p.m. ET. The storm slammed into Florida’s Big Bend region with sustained winds of 140 mph and gusts above that, according to the National Weather Service.

Hurricane Helene, now a Category 2 storm, is expected to make landfall in Florida's Big Bend area, bringing catastrophic storm surge, damaging winds, and potential severe flooding.

Helene strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane hours ahead of its expected landfall on Florida’s northwest coast Thursday night, and forecasters warned that the enormous storm could create a “nightmare” surge in coastal areas and bring dangerous winds and rain across much of the southeastern U.