Gov. Ron DeSantis puts 61 Florida counties under states of emergency ahead of Tropical Storm Helene

Gov. DeSantis provides update on projected Hurricane Helene

Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie held a news conference Tuesday morning to discuss the state's preparations ahead of projected Hurricane Helene's potential landfall.

Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a state of emergency for more than 60 counties as Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine, which is expected to strengthen and become a hurricane, treks toward the Florida Peninsula this week.

On Tuesday, DeSantis held a news conference with state emergency management officials to discuss the state's preparation efforts ahead of future Hurricane Helene.

The governor expanded the state of emergency from 41 to 61 of Florida's 67 counties due to the latest data regarding the storm's projected path: Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Brevard, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Glades, Gulf, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Monroe, Nassau, Okaloosa, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton, and Washington counties.

Fourteen of those counties are in Central Florida: Alachua, Brevard, Dixie, Flagler, Gilchrist, Lake, Levy, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole, Sumter and Volusia.

Florida in path of expected Hurricane Helene: Live updates, timeline, county-by-county impacts

Gov. DeSantis said the impact of Hurricane Debby, which made landfall in Florida's Big Bend region as a Category 1 hurricane on Aug. 5, 2024, is still impacting people in that region. Impacts from the potential system could also cause flooding and damage to major highways, roadways, bridges, airports, hospitals, schools, and the power grid across the state.

The emergency declaration allows funding, partnerships, and resources to be allocated to areas around the state at risk of being impacted by a potential system.