Tropical Weather Latest: Helene weakens into tropical storm over Georgia after landing in Florida

Hurricane Helene weakened into a tropical storm over Georgia early Friday after making landfall overnight in northwestern Florida as a Category 4 storm. Authorities rescued people trapped by floodwaters and more than 3 million customers were in the dark across much of the southeastern U.S.

Helene came ashore amid warnings from the National Hurricane Center that the enormous system could create a "nightmare" storm surge. There were at least four storm-related deaths.

Hurricane John once again weakened into a tropical storm Thursday evening as the slow-moving storm crept along the coast of the Mexican state of Michoacan, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Isaac strengthened Friday into a hurricane in the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean and could cause dangerous waves in parts of Bermuda, forecasters said.

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Here's the latest:

VENICE, Fla. — In Venice, Florida, police and fire rescue crews helped with 30 rescues of residents in coastal areas on Thursday, the city said in a social media post. The water has since receded, but teams were out Friday morning assessing damage and conducting door-to-door wellness checks.

“This morning we’re regrouping after doing some work last night with evacuating some people from some of the areas that were affected by the storm surge and the salt water intrusion to homes and low-lying areas,” Police Chief Charlie Thorpe said in a video posted on social media.

“It all started on the jetties, worked its way to Golden Beach when we had a significant storm surge there and eventually into Harbor Lights last night. We were working hard there to do whatever we needed to do for life-safety issues and we’re back in those areas this morning checking on things,” he added.

Isaac strengthened Friday into a hurricane in the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean and could cause dangerous waves in parts of Bermuda, forecasters said.

The storm was about 980 miles (1,577 kilometers) east-northeast of Bermuda and about 1,175 miles (1,890 km) west of the Azores, with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (121 kph). It was heading east at 12 mph (19 kph).

There were no coastal watches or warnings in effect, but the waves could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions in Bermuda, the Miami-based U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

Potentially dangerous waves also could spread to the Azores, the center said. Isaac is expected to strengthen before gradually weakening by the end of the weekend.

PERRY, Fla. — Residents of Florida’s Big Bend region woke up to widespread power outages Friday morning after Hurricane Helene made landfall overnight near the mouth of the Aucilla River.

Helene slammed ashore in the largely rural stretch of Florida as a Category 4 hurricane, becoming the third hurricane to batter that swath of the state in a little over a year.

As the sun rose over U.S. Highway 27 outside of Perry, cars dodged and weaved among downed pine trees that blocked portions of the road, some ensnarled in power lines. Emergency workers were already on hand clearing debris before 8 am. The air smelled of pine needles and fresh wood — from the staggering trees shattered by the storm, some snapped in half like toothpicks.

Authorities rescued people trapped by floodwaters and more than 3 million customers were in the dark across much of the southeastern U.S. as Hurricane Helene weakened to a tropical storm over Georgia early Friday after making landfall overnight in northwestern Florida as a Category 4 storm.

Helene came ashore amid warnings from the National Hurricane Center that the enormous system could create a "nightmare" storm surge. There were at least four storm-related deaths.

Video on social media sites showed sheets of rain coming down in Perry, Florida, near where Helene made landfall, and siding being torn off buildings. One local news station showed a home that had flipped over. The community and much of surrounding Taylor County were without power.

▶ Catch up on what happened overnight with Hurricane Helene

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