NOTE: You can track the movement of Hurricane Helene in the player above
As Hurricane Helene bears down on the state of Florida, there has been a lot of talk about the “Big Bend,” the area where the storm is expected to make landfall on Thursday.
While most Americans are familiar with the Florida Panhandle and the Florida Peninsula, the “Big Bend” isn’t quite as well known.
According to the U.S. Geologic Survey, the “Big Bend” stretches from Apalachee Bay, located directly south of Tallahassee, all the way to the Anclote Keys, which are located just to the northwest of Tampa and just north of Clearwater.
The Big Bend Scenic Byway allows visitors to travel along more than 200 miles of the state, with plenty of opportunities for hiking, kayaking, birding and other activities, along with the Apalachicola National Forest, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
According to the latest forecasts from the National Hurricane Center, the area is expected to take a hit from Hurricane Helene, which could strengthen into a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds in excess of 130 miles per hour.
The latest estimates indicate the potential for storm surges of 15-to-20 feet, which could devastate coastal towns with catastrophic flooding.
Local
Tornado watches are also in effect for areas of the Florida Panhandle, with rainfall estimates ranging from 6-to-8 inches or even more in some regions.
Hurricane warnings remain in effect as the storm gets set to make landfall on Thursday evening, pushing northward into Georgia and bringing devastating rainfall to parts of Tennessee and North Carolina.
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