White House Correspondent Jon Decker discusses his conversation with FEMA Director Deanne Criswell about the federal response and further updates.

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.

However, much of Florida, including the Tampa Bay region, continued to be under a storm surge warning early Friday morning. That means officials continued to project potentially life-threatening flooding. The worst of the storm is now headed for Georgia.

Across St. Petersburg, stunning images emerged early Friday morning of flooding unlike previous storms. In Shore Acres, water levels had nearly reached stop signs; in downtown St. Petersburg, bay waters kissed The Vinoy; and in Gulfport, the small seaside town’s downtown was awash with debris from tidal flooding.

Hurricane Helen is causing schools, government agencies and businesses across Central Florida to decide whether to close or remain open during the storm.

Several state parks and facilities across Georgia will be closed due to the expected impact of Hurricane Helene.

Here comes Hurricane Helene — and a flurry of cancellations and closures around Tampa Bay. We’ll be updating this list as the storm gets closer. Cultural institutions The Tampa Museum of Art is closed Wednesday and Thursday.

The North Georgia State Fair will be closed Wednesday and Thursday as Hurricane Helene barrels towards metro Atlanta. Spivey’s Southern Grill sells cheesesteaks, Italian sausages and other meats at the fair.

As the Bay Area prepares for the impacts of what will likely become Hurricane Helene, some businesses are shutting down.