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Helene is intensifying and was officially declared a hurricane shortly before 11 a.m. on Wednesday.

AccuWeather forecasters predicted Helene could reach Category 4 strength while passing over the Gulf, with maximum sustained winds ranging between 130 and 156 mph and their predictions came true.

RELATED: The latest on Helene | Closings/cancelations

Residents were ordered to evacuate in multiple couties in the Florida Panhandle and resident were warned that the storm surge could be unsurvivable.

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Strong winds, flooding rain, and some tornadoes are forecasted to impact parts of the Southeast for the remainder of the week.

Expected Timeline (subject to change):

10:58 a.m. Wednesday: Helene officially became a hurricane. The storm is bringing life-threatening storm surges, damaging winds, and flooding rains across Florida and the Southeastern U.S.

11:15 a.m. Wednesday: Tropical Storm Watch issued for metro Atlanta until 7:30 p.m. due to an approaching cold front, with heavy rain, lightning, and strong winds expected. Rainfall between 1 to 2 inches is possible.

2 p.m. Wednesday: Helene remained a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph. The storm is expected to make landfall as a Category 3 hurricane.

5 p.m. Wednesday: Helene was a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph. The storm was located about 460 miles southwest of Tampa, moving north at 12 mph, the National Hurricane Center said. The storm could make landfall as a dangerous Category 5 hurricane.

Thursday: Tornado risks expanded across Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. Rain increased throughout southern Georgia, extending into metro Atlanta.

Late Thursday night: Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane at 11:10 p.m. on Florida's Gulf Coast, with winds exceeding 110 mph and storm surges up to 15 feet or more.

Late Thursday night: Tropical storm conditions began in the metro Atlanta area with heavy rain, wind, and flash flooding.

2 a.m. Friday: Helene reached south Georgia.

12 a.m. Thursday to 8 a.m. Friday: Helene is expected to reach the Atlanta area with winds around 35 mph and heavy rain, possibly bringing 4 to 8 inches of rainfall.

Late Friday morning: The rain and heavy winds should end late Friday morning or early Friday afternoon. Flooding will remain a concern into the afternoon hours.

7 p.m. Friday: The storm is expected to have moved out of metro Atlanta, with shower chances decreasing to just 10%. It will still be slightly breezy.

7 a.m. Saturday: Mostly sunny skies are expected in metro Atlanta, with a high of 78°F, as Helene’s remnants move through Indiana and Illinois.

Note: These are NOT exact times. Storms are ALWAYS unpredictable and times WILL change. Please check back for updates.

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