LIVE BLOG - Latest: Hurricane Helene approaches Florida

Hurricane Helene made landfall as a category 4 hurricane near Perry, Fla.. This blog followed the storm's progress throughout the day.

Helene has officially made landfall near Perry, Fla., as a category 4 hurricane. Weather & Radar will have the latest on the destruction from this storm tomorrow.

All of Florida is feeling impacts from Helene. Severe flooding is ongoing in Southwest Florida. The video below shows flooding in Naples, Fla. Currently 875,224 homes and businesses are without power across the state. Outages have also surged to 28,314 customers in Georgia.

Water is rising rapidly in Cedar Key.

The WindRadar has picked up 120 mph wind gusts in Steinhatchee, Fla., as Helene's eyewall moves onshore.

Water levels are rising on Cedar Key as Helene gets closer to landfall. Power outages in Florida have risen to 651,027 homes and businesses.

Tornadoes on the right side of Helene are a significant concern. Stay alert and make sure your app alerts are on.

Helene continues to strengthen slightly as it nears landfall. Winds are now sustained at 140 mph.

The strongest winds are expected to move in within the next 1-2 hours. Watch the updates in real-time on our WindRadar.

A buoy 3 miles out from the center of Helene recorded wind gusts of 107 mph and 25-foot waves.

Currently, 455,129 homes and businesses are without power in Florida, and the highest winds have yet to move in. Below are some of the highest wind gusts recorded so far.

Storm surge flooding is inundating buildings on Treasure Island, just north of St. Petersburg, Fla. Up to 8 feet of surge is expected in the Tampa Bay area.

Our Weather Reporter will continue to bring updates from Cedar Key, Fla., as Helene nears landfall. Waves and surges have picked up, and conditions continue to deteriorate rapidly.

Power outages continue to surge. Florida now has 291,553 homes and businesses without power. Some communities may end up not having power for weeks after Helene moves through.

Helene has been upgraded to a Category 4 storm with sustained winds of 130 mph.

Power outages continue to grow across Florida and the Southeast.

The latest update has Helene as a category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 125 mph. The latest track is below.

The Florida Highway Patrol has announced that the Skyway Bridge and the Howard Frankland Bridge in St. Petersburg, Fla. are closed due to high winds and storm surge. Motorists should stay off the highways.

Embedded supercells in Helene's outer bands have the potential to produce waterspouts and tornadoes. Make sure your app alerts are turned on.

The Gulf Coast is no stranger to major hurricanes. Since 2017, 8 category 3 or stronger hurricanes have made a U.S. Gulf Coast landfall. Helene will be number 9.

Nearly 110,000 homes and businesses are without power in Florida. Outages in North Carolina now exceed 17,000 customers, while more than 13,000 are without power in Georgia.

Helene is now a major category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 120 mph.

The number of power outages in Florida is skyrocketing. Currently, nearly 80,000 homes and businesses are without power, and that number is expected to grow significantly.

Tropical storm-force wind gusts are being felt across much of Florida. Here are the highest gusts so far.

Helene's impacts can be felt far out from the center. The Swannanoa River at Biltmore Village in Asheville, N.C., is predicted to see an all-time record crest early Friday.

Cedar Key is already feeling the impacts of Hurricane Helene. Crashing waves and flooding are happening along much of the Gulf Coast of Florida.

Coastal flooding is already happening along Florida's West Coast. Avoid driving or walking through storm surge.

The National Hurricane Center released the latest stats on Hurricane Helene and it has now maximum sustained winds of 105 mph. It is movign a bit faster to the north-northeast at 14 mph. Helene is expected to continue intensifying and possibly be category 4 status by the time it makes landfall tonight.

At this hour, tornado warnings continue to be issued across Central Florida as a strong rainband moves through. More tornado warnings are possible as rainbands move through the state.

Hurricane Helene's maximum sustained winds are 100 mph. It is expected to reach major category status soon. Tornado watches are in effect across the Florida Peninsula until 8 p.m. ET.