Hurricane Helene live updates: Track storm path as Florida braces for landfall amid fears of catastrophic damage to homes and businesses

Major League Baseball has announced the postponement of the scheduled games between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets at Truist Park in Atlanta.

The teams were set to play on Wednesday and Thursday nights, but have been pushed back to a doubleheader on Monday, September 30 due to the weather.

The first game will begin at 1.10pm ET and the second will start 40 minutes after the last out in the first game, the statement said.

'To all of our fans throughout Braves Country that will be impacted by Hurricane Helene, please stay safe,' The Braves wrote on X.

Helene has left a trail of destruction en route to the United States.

It swamped parts of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula on Wednesday, flooding streets and toppling trees as it passed offshore and brushed the resort city of Cancun.

The storm formed Tuesday in the Caribbean Sea.

In Cuba, the government preventively shut off power in some communities as waves as high as 16 feet slammed Cortes Bay.

In the Cayman Islands, schools closed and residents pumped water from flooded homes.

Helene is expected to be a major hurricane - meaning a Category 3 or higher - when it makes landfall tonight.

As Helene strengthens, forecaster warn that Tropical Storm Isaac - which formed yesterday in the Atlantic - is expected to strengthen as it moves eastward across the open ocean, possibly becoming a hurricane by the end of the week.

In the Pacific, former Hurricane John reformed Wednesday as a tropical storm and was strengthening as it threatened areas of Mexico's western coast. Officials posted hurricane warnings for southwestern Mexico.

John hit the country's southern Pacific coast late Monday, killing at least two people, triggering mudslides, and damaging homes and trees. It grew into a Category 3 hurricane in a matter of hours and made landfall east of Acapulco. It reemerged over the ocean after weakening inland.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has urged residents to 'not get wedded to the "cone"' - warning that 'hazards such as tornados, flooding, and storm surge can create dangerous conditions far beyond the cone.'

In other words, he has warned people against assuming they are safe just because their home or business is not in the direct path of the storm - or the 'cone' shown on weather maps.

Residents should also check official warnings issue over other hazards.

Hurricane Helene is expected to make landfall in Florida on Thursday evening.

Of the state's 67 counties, 61 are under a state of emergency, DeSantis said. Mandatory evacuations are in effect in parts of at least 20 counties.

Officials have issued dire warnings, pleading with residents in coastal areas along the hurricane's path to evacuate ahead of catastrophic winds and a potentially deadly storm surge (the wall of seawater pushed on land by hurricane-force winds), that could rise to 20 feet (6.1 meters) in some spots.

'This is not a survivable event for those in coastal or low- lying areas,' said Jared Miller, the sheriff of Wakulla County, where Helene is forecast to make landfall. 'Please heed the evacuation orders in place as time is running out to do so.'

Helene roared across the Gulf of Mexico, picking up power from the warm ocean water. It is forecast to make landfall in Florida's panhandle Thursday evening, packing sustained wind speeds of up to 156 miles per hour, forecasters said.

'For those in the path, that unfortunately means catastrophic wind impacts,' National Hurricane Center Deputy Director Jamie Rhome said.

Reported by Reuters

Hurricane Helene is set to strike Florida's Gulf Coast within hours, threatening an 'unsurvivable' storm surge that would leave catastrophic damage and could deluge cities and swallow homes.

Helene could roar ashore as a Category 4 hurricane by tonight, with wind speeds of up to 130mph after spending days strengthening in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, the National Hurricane Center warned.

Forecasters predict Helene could bring storm surges of up to 20 feet (6 meters) and warned they could be particularly 'catastrophic and life-threatening' in Florida's Apalachee Bay. Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm's arrival.

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Hello and welcome to DailyMail.com's live coverage of Hurricane Helene as it fast approaches Florida.

The National Hurricane Center warned Helene is likely to reach Category 4 when it makes landfall after strengthening in the Gulf of Mexico.

Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm's arrival as forecasters predict storm surges of up to 20 feet (6 meters).

State officials say the damage could be unprecedented and catastrophic with residents scrambling to reach higher ground.

Stick with our coverage as we track Helene's movements and bring you the latest developments on the ground in Flordia.