If your Waffle House still serves waffles, things may not be so bad after all. But if it’s closed - buckle up, it’s time to hunker down.

Florida residents are preparing for a heavy blow from Hurricane Helene as it moves toward Tallahassee, where it’s expected to make landfall Thursday night with winds reaching 140 mph and life-threatening storm surges.

The region has endured two other hurricanes recently, but many more people appeared to be evacuating this time, leaving their small coastal towns eerily empty.