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Light showers fell briefly over parts of Lakeland early this afternoon, marking the first sign of rain and winds from Hurricane Helene that are expected to intensify tonight and Thursday as the storm marches north in the Gulf of Mexico toward an anticipated landfall in the Panhandle Thursday evening.
More Polk County organizations announced they would be closed or altering operations because of the storm since LkldNow reported that Polk County public schools would be closed Thursday and Friday.
Helene remained a Category 1 storm when the National Weather Service reported at 2 p.m. that it was located just northeast of the tip of the Yucatan and traveling north-northwest at 10 mph with 80 mph sustained winds. Hurricane-force winds extended 25 miles from the center, and tropical-storm-force winds could be felt 275 miles away.
The size of the storm has led to increased warnings throughout Florida, with Polk County upgraded today from tropical storm watch to tropical storm warning.
Polk could get 3 to 6 inches of rain Thursday with wind gusts between 35 mph up to 74 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
Closed
Storm-related closings around Lakeland include:
Buses: Citrus Connection is suspending all service on Thursday.
Colleges/Universities: Florida Southern College has shifted all Thursday and Friday classes to virtual. Polk State College cancelled Thursday and Friday classes. Florida Polytechnic University’s campus will be closed Thursday. Southeastern University says it will post announcements here.
Courts in Florida’s 10th Judicial District and the Clerk of Court office will close Thursday and are scheduled to reopen Friday. Jurors summoned for Thursday should not report.
Bonnet Springs Park and the Florida Children’s Museum will be closed on Thursday.
Peace River Center will suspend in-person appointments at noon Thursday; telehealth appointments will continue and crisis services remain available 24 hours.
Polk Tax Collector offices will close Thursday. All Thursday appointments will be honored on a priority basis through Oct. 28, spokeswoman Ashleigh Mills said.
Open
Watson Clinic plans to remain open.
Polk sandbag sites remain open until 5:30 p.m. today. Lakeland-area locations are Loyce E. Harpe Park, 500 W. Carter Road and 8970 N. Campbell Road.
City of Lakeland parks and public buildings are scheduled to remain open, according to city spokesman Kevin Cook. Solid-waste pickups are still scheduled since the Polk County landfill is staying open, he said. Polk County also plans to maintain its solid waste collections.
Publix Super Markets had no plans to close Polk County stores as of this afternoon, although some stores in coastal counties will be closing on Thursday.
Lakeland Linder Airport plans to remain open; Director Kris Hallstrand said that Amazon will cease cargo operations tonight until the storm passes. Avelo Airlines is monitoring the storm to decide whether to cancel its Thursday morning flight to New Haven.
Postponed
Central Florida Development Council’s annual meeting, originally scheduled for Thursday, has been delayed to Oct. 23.
Polk Vision’s Mayors Roundtable, has been postponed from Thursday to Oct. 31.
Hurricane preparation resources
• Hurricane Prep – United Way of Central Florida
• Polk County Emergency Management
• Lakeland Electric Storms & Outages
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