Hurricane Helene Updates & Info

There appears to be erroneous reports circulating on social media regarding the closing of bridges in Walton County, specifically the Clyde Wells Bridge over Choctawhatchee Bay.

There are currently NO plans to close any bridges in Walton County at this time. If such a decision is made, that determination will be made by the Florida Department of Transportation and notices will be sent to Walton County. The public’s best source of information regarding Hurricane Helene information and alerts, please visit the website of Walton County Emergency Management. All official hurricane news will be issued from that source.

Visit Walton County Emergency Management | Walton County, FL - Home Page

Ron Kelley

Walton County Public Information

Meteorology isn't perfect, but this year, we've taken important papers/technology to our lower level because of tornado warning/sirens 3 times. And there were (small) tornadoes within 5 miles of our Louisville home. And even minor winds can really set a family back for a while. We were just at Seaside last couple of weeks when Francine brought in some rain. I'm hoping the area survives it again. I think of the Pensacola area then PCB and Bend areas that have been hit in the past. The other part of the hurricanes - no matter where they hit - there is the possibility of tornadoes. Stay safe. Ellen

Hurricane Helene Update from Walton County
9/26/2024 - 5:15 pm

At 4 p.m. CDT the eye of Hurricane Helene was located near latitude 27.9 North, longitude 84.6 West. Helene is moving toward the north-northeast near 23 mph (37 km/h). A continued fast motion to the north-northeast is expected through landfall in the Florida Big Bend this evening. After landfall, Helene is expected to turn northwestward and slow down over the Tennessee Valley on Friday and Saturday. Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 125 mph (205 km/h) with higher gusts.

For the full advisory from US National Weather Service Tallahassee Florida, see here: WWA Summary by Location for 30.68N 86.22W with FLZ008/FLC131/FLZ008 emphasis Hurricane Local Statement

Walton County is still under a tropical storm warning, with expected tropical force winds and heavy rainfall. However, there have been no evacuations ordered, and the Clyde B. Wells bridge on U.S. 331 remains open. Still, Helene is a dangerous storm and residents are encouraged to stay off the roadways and in a safe location.

Walton County School District Schools will remain closed Friday, Sept. 27. School activities have been rescheduled, please refer to the School District’s website for more information.

Walton County is hosting a state-supported shelter in DeFuniak Springs at the Community Center on 361 N. 10th Street. The shelter is for our neighbors to the east that are avoiding impacts from Hurricane Helene. The shelter will remain open for general population, special needs clients and pets. It is important to note, while this is NOT a county shelter, any residents who feel unsafe in their homes are welcome. There are NO evacuation orders for Walton County residents.

Due to the large size of Helene, impacts are seen beyond the cone of uncertainty. Thankfully, Walton County is anticipating being unscathed from a majority of the impacts from Helene, including life-threatening storm surge along the entire west coast of the Florida Peninsula and Florida Big Bend. The highest inundation of greater than 12 ft is expected along the Florida Big Bend coast.

For additional information, visit the Walton County Emergency Management website, Hurricane Season Frequently Asked Questions | Walton County, FL - Home Page

My problem is with you and your team forecasting the wrong information for South Walton…. There’s a big difference between Franklin Calhoun and Gulf county if you want to do the right thing by people who come on your site,forecast for South Walton. Go back and read it. She was specifically saying we were going to have dire weather… don’t be so self-righteous…

Geez. You're the self righteous one. Go start your own website so I can come tell you how to run it. Are you too dense to understand she REPOSTED the content and didn't write it? No one forecasted anything for South Walton. Your reading comprehension sux.

Geez. You're the self righteous one. Go start your own website so I can come tell you how to run it. Are you too dense to understand she REPOSTED the content and didn't write it? No one forecasted anything for South Walton. Your reading comprehension sux.

Haha for real.

Gotta cut folks some slack. 1/3 of the US was in the cone at one point, all of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina were faced with potential evacuations, and gee golly this was going to be the worst hurricane in the history of Florida…

All things said or implied by the mainstream media in the last few days.

Glad everyone is OK in SoWal!

Gotta cut folks some slack. 1/3 of the US was in the cone at one point, all of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina were faced with potential evacuations, and gee golly this was going to be the worst hurricane in the history of Florida…

All things said or implied by the mainstream media in the last few days.

It is one of the worst for people in the path.

It is one of the worst for people in the path.

A cat 4 hurricane is very destructive. Tallahassee is fortunate it passed to the east so they won't get it as bad as if it was on their west but still going to be damage there with lots of trees down and power out for a long time. Perry, Steinhatchee, Cedar Key, Live Oak, Valdosta and a lot more are in serious trouble.

This is not the time to blame but rather to be thankful and help however we can like the people in South Walton have always done. We look out for each other and lift each other up.

All Walton County schools will remain closed on Friday, September 27.

The decision came after consultations with the National Weather Service and local weather partners. Forecasts predict tropical storm force winds and rain to affect the area from approximately 7:00 p.m. Thursday until 3:00 a.m. Friday.

"Closures are for all students, staff, and SPICE," the district stated in its announcement. This closure applies to all schools within the Walton County School District.

Regarding extracurricular activities, including Friday football games, the district has left decisions to individual schools. Students and parents are advised to check with their specific schools for more information on these activities.

The district expects all schools to reopen on Monday, September 30. However, officials urge residents to stay informed by regularly checking the district and schools' websites and social media platforms for updates.

"Stay safe, and continue to check our district and schools' websites and social media platforms for more information," the announcement concluded.

Walton County Emergency Management is an excellent resource providing information needed for everyone in Walton County at every phase of an event. I'm thankful for their dedication to our community. It makes a difference in being as prepared as possible. We also follow US National Weather Service Tallahassee, NOAA, SWFD, and WCSO for essential updates. Sharing timely messages here on the SoWal forums is what many community members here have done over the years.

SWFD says it best today:

Many of our neighbors to the east are just beginning to understand the damage and extent of #HurricaneHelene.

As we learn more about this storm's impact, we pause to thank the hardworking, talented members of our Walton County Emergency Management and US National Weather Service Tallahassee Florida teams who have worked long hours this past week keeping our entire region informed.

While there is no way our local response efforts will ever be able to stop the force of Mother Nature, the dedication of emergency management and weather experts fulfills the vital role of keeping us all up-to-date so we can make the safest decisions for responders and the community.

Thank you to ALL members of our #WaltonCounty and #SoWal community who have staffed the Emergency Operations Center, volunteered as part of Walton County Emergency Management CERT or other volunteer group, and/or worked in some way to keep this community safe. On behalf of everyone at the South Walton Fire District, your efforts are appreciated. Please join us in saying thank you to these men and women. We are luck to call many of them friends and have them on our team.