Helene, the most powerful hurricane to strike Apalachee Bay and one that threatened Tallahassee with a direct hit, made landfall late Thursday in Taylor County.

Helene roared ashore in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane, trapping residents in floodwaters, peeling side off buildings, knocking out power to millions.

Hurricane Helene intensified into a major Category 4 hurricane with 140 mph making landfall Thursday night bringing devastating winds and storm surge to Florida’s Big Bend, according to the

Forecasters warned the enormous system could create a “nightmare” storm surge and bring dangerous winds and rain across much of the southeast.

Helene is more then 400 miles across and is one of the largest hurricanes ever to hit the coast of Gulf of Mexico

Hurricane Helene has eased to a Category 1 storm, but still poses a huge threat across 12 states. NBC News' Jay Gray reports from Tallahassee, Florida, where residents dodged a direct hit.

Hurricane Helene strengthened to a Category 2 storm Thursday and could bring heavy rain and gusty winds to Indiana. The storm is expected to grow even more powerful as it roars into the Florida panhandle sometime late Thursday evening or Friday morning.

Hurricane Helene weakened on Friday hours after it made landfall in the US state of Florida, with officials warning the storm remained "extremely dangerous" as it surged inland, leaving flooded