A surfer was rescued by Navarre Beach Lifeguards just west of the Navarre Beach Fishing Pier on Thursday, Sept. 26.

The surfer’s leash broke, disconnecting him from his board and leading to his need for rescue amongst the 12-to-14-foot waves. There were double red flags that day as Hurricane Helene made its approach.

Two surfers, Kerstan Chojnacki and Dave Wilson, helped the unnamed surfer while waiting for lifeguard assistance.

Austin Turnbull, the Beach Safety Division Chief and head of the Navarre Beach Lifeguards, told Navarre Press that the man rescued had become disoriented and his eyes were rolling in the back of his head. The man’s current condition is unknown at this time.

CRAWFORDVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Hurricane Helene roared ashore as a powerful Category 4 storm in a sparsely populated region of Florida, peeling the siding from buildings, trapping residents in rising floodwaters and knocking out power to millions of customers. At least five people were reported dead.

Three people have died from Hurricane Helene, according to a report from the Associated Press.

The National Hurricane Center said that at 10:20 p.m. CT, Hurricane Helene made landfall as a category four hurricane in Florida's Big Bend region.

Santa Rosa District Schools will be open on Friday, Sept. 27.

Hurricane Helene is nearing landfall in Florida's big bend area as a category three storm. The 4 p.m. update from the National Hurricane Center notes that Helene is likely to make landfall as a category four hurricane.

Sept. 26, 2024 | 10:37 a.m.

With Hurricane Helene hitting to the east of Santa Rosa County, many in the county are getting ready to help with recovery in harder hit areas of Florida.

The storm is expected to make landfall in Florida’s big bend area around 7 p.m. Thursday night, and many are planning to assist.

Here’s a list of what we know so far:

• Santa Rosa County’s Emergency Management team will be deploying to Liberty County Friday morning. The team includes Public Information Officer Sarah Whitfield, Emergency Management Director Tom Lloyd and Emergency Management Plans Chief Kevin Riley.
• Two 911 dispatchers will head to either Bay County or Franklin County, depending on the need, according to the county.
• Holley-Navarre Fire District and Avalon Fire Rescue are on standby to deploy but have not been given an official assignment yet, according to the county.
• The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office is planning to deploy, but it depends on access to the county assigned.
• City of Milton Public Information Officer Bethany Anderson said the city is “is committed to providing support where we can, in alignment with our resources and capacity.” Anderson said any assistance will be coordinated through the state.

Sept. 26, 2024 | 8:45 a.m.

It’s a nice day in Santa Rosa County, making it hard to believe a hurricane will make landfall to our east.

Hurricane Helene, now a category two storm, is expected to make landfall around 7 p.m. tonight in Florida’s big bend. The impact on Santa Rosa County is minimal, even to the point that little rainfall is forecasted. Here’s the latest updates from a local perspective:

• Rainfall totals shifted overnight. Previously, Santa Rosa County was looking at somewhere between 2 to 4 inches of rain, but now it appears it could be a relatively dry day. There’s a 50% chance of rain today, according to the National Weather Service. The latest rainfall totals from the National Hurricane Center show Santa Rosa County in a dry area.
• A wind advisory remains in place from noon on Thursday until midnight tonight.
• As the storm makes its way through the Gulf, 64 of Florida’s 67 counties remain under a hurricane or tropical storm warning, but Santa Rosa County is not among them.

Sept. 25, 2024 | 10:01 p.m.

The National Hurricane Center released its 10 p.m. update on Hurricane Helene, which continues to show the eye of the storm hitting in Florida’s “big bend” area.

The storm is expected to make landfall in less than 24 hours, around 7 p.m. CT on Thursday.

In all 64 of Florida’s 67 counties are under a tropical storm or hurricane warning. Santa Rosa, Escambia and Okaloosa County are the three excluded.

Here are some quick updates from a Santa Rosa County perspective:

• A wind advisory remains in effect for Santa Rosa County from noon on Thursday until midnight. The wind is expected to blow between 15 and 25 miles per hour with gusts up to 40 miles per hour.
• Barring a significant, last minute change of direction,  Santa Rosa County is not expected to have major impacts from the storm. Wind and several inches of rain are expected. Computer models have been consistent on the path of the storm for several days.
• Santa Rosa District Schools are closed on Thursday, a reversal from an early afternoon decision. The wind advisory was noted as the reason why the district changed its mind.