The Augusta area is under multiple weather advisories as Hurricane Helene, an expected Category 4 storm, makes landfall Thursday night along Florida's Big Bend coast. The National Weather Service in Columbia issued a Tropical Storm Warning and Flood Watch for multiple Augusta area counties, which will remain active through Friday afternoon.

Lake city and Columbia County officials met Thursday morning ahead of the expected major local impacts of hurricane Helene.

Columbia County was hit hard by Hurricane Debby in August. Some residents are still getting over the damage, and now, they may have to go through another storm.

The Columbia County Emergency Management opened a Citizen Information Center Hotline to answer questions about the storm. It opens at 6:00 p.m. Sept. 25 and closes at midnight. It opens Sept. 26 at 6:00 a.m. and will be open with 24-hour availability until operations are downgraded. You can call that hotline at 386-719-7530.

COLUMBIA COUNTY, Fla. — There is a State of Emergency issued in Columbia County as Tropical Storm Helene nears. Emergency Management Director Shayne Morgan said to expect 50-70 mph winds and there's a 10-20% of receiving strong tropical storm force winds. There will be three and seven inches of rain depending on the track, he said.

ALTHOUGH WE’RE STILL EXPECTED TO SEE THE WORST OF HURRICANE HELENE, SHE MADE A SIGNIFICANT MARK ON COLUMBIA COUNTY TODAY IN TERMS OF FLOODING.