- September 24, 2024
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Tropical Storm Helene shifted slightly to the east overnight and is expected to strengthen into Hurricane Helene before making landfall in the Big Bend or Panhandle region on Thursday. Earlier today, Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency for 61 counties including Volusia County and Flagler County. Volusia County has also declared a local state of emergency.
Local forecasts predict intermittent tropical storm-force wind gusts, rainfall totals of 3-6 inches, and storm surges of up to 3 feet in Volusia County on Thursday. The National Weather Service is expected to include Volusia County in a Tropical Storm Watch later today.
The Volusia County Emergency Operations Center is coordinating resources and requests as needed. Volusia County's sandbag distribution site will be open from 1 to 5 p.m. today and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. tomorrow at the Volusia County Branch Jail, 1300 Red John Drive, Daytona Beach. Multiple municipalities have also announced sandbag locations. Florida Power & Light is also staging resources in the county to prepare for potential storm impacts.
Volusia County is maintaining communication with state authorities and the National Weather Service. Residents are encouraged to stay informed by downloading the new Volusia Emergency Management app, available on the App Store and Google Play. The app provides real-time weather alerts, important news updates, safety tips, and sandbag distribution locations. For additional updates, follow Volusia County's social media accounts and visit www.volusia.org frequently.
