Hurricane Helene brought destructive winds, torrential rains and the possibility of a catastrophic storm surge to the Gulf Coast and Panhandle of Florida. Officials said most people were complying with evacuation orders.

The bottom line is today and tomorrow are your days to prepare in the Panhandle, north-central Florida, and west-central Florida, so make the time count.

Officials issued dire warnings, pleading with residents in coastal areas along the hurricane's path to evacuate ahead of catastrophic winds and a potentially deadly storm surge, the wall of seawater pushed on land by hurricane-force winds,

Even before Hurricane Helene hit Florida, coastal communities and residents were beginning to see the effects of the monster storm.

Hurricane Helene has made landfall near Perry in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane. Helene has plowed ashore in the state's rural Big Bend region. (The videos were recorded before the landfall) (Sourc

Hurricane Helene made landfall as an extremely dangerous Category 4 storm. Jesse Kirsch takes viewers to the eye of the storm in Perry, Florida