Helene made landfall at about 11:10 p.m. ET near Perry, Florida, with 140 mph winds, making it the first known Category 4 storm to hit Florida’s Big Bend region since records began in 1851.

Hurricane Helene, a massive, destructive Category 4 hurricane causing catastrophic storm surge, made landfall about 11:10 p.m. Thursday in Florida’s Big Bend, the National Hurricane Center

In 2005, Hurricane Dennis landed near the Alabama-Florida state line as a Category 3 hurricane. Far to the east, Florida's Big Bend — where Hurricane Helene is expected to come ashore — never even felt tropical storm strength winds,