Hurricane Helen is expected to make landfall Thursday night just east of Tallahassee in northern Florida, bringing intense winds and rain to Florida and other parts of the southeastern United States.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 61 counties ahead of the arrival of the Category 2 hurricane. Winds were recorded at 165 mph in Helen and continue to strengthen, potentially increasing to a Category 3 or 4 storm.
The weather has caused some teams to reschedule games or change travel plans for the weekend.
Some of the contests that may be affected are listed below.
college football
Miami: The Hurricanes will play Virginia Tech on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET. Miami has not announced any changes to the game date or time.
Florida State: The Seminoles left Tallahassee on Thursday for Saturday’s game at SMU in Dallas at 8 p.m. ET. The team moved up their travel plans by a day to avoid Helen’s impact on Tallahassee. FSU’s band, the Marching Chiefs, canceled a trip to Dallas due to the weather.
UCF-Colorado: The Buffaloes left Boulder on Wednesday and arrived in Orlando ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Helen. In Colorado, it’s customary to travel on Thursdays for long drives, but I decided to move my plans up a day. UCF hosts the Buffaloes on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Florida A&M: FAMU has moved its Saturday home game against Alabama A&M to Nov. 29, the day after Thanksgiving.
Florida: The Gators are in a bye week.
Braves vs. Mets: Major League Baseball on Wednesday postponed the final two games of a crucial series between the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets at Trust Park and moved them to a doubleheader on Monday. The league made the decision about two hours before Wednesday’s game, the second of a three-game series, was scheduled to start because of heavy rain in the Atlanta area. The division rivals are locked in a battle for the wild card race and unless there is a change in the standings, they will likely have to wait until Monday to decide their playoff fate.
Saturday’s game between Inter Miami and Charlotte FC could be affected by inclement weather. (Brad Penner/Imagine Images)
Inter Miami: Inter Miami hosts Charlotte FC in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET. The clubs have not announced any changes to their match plans. Broward County, Fort Lauderdale, was not included in Florida’s state of emergency declaration, but the area could still be affected by the weekend’s weather.
St. Louis City SC: St. Louis hosts Kansas City FC on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET. After Hurricane Helen makes landfall Thursday night, moisture from the storm is expected to move into the Mississippi River Valley. Rain is expected to continue in the St. Louis area from early Friday morning into Saturday, which could result in clubs playing in the rain. Major League Soccer allows games to be played even in rainy weather, but games will be postponed if there is lightning within eight miles of the stadium.
Several NFL games will be held in the southeastern United States on Sunday, with the Miami Dolphins taking on the Tennessee Titans on Monday. No changes to the match have been announced, but inclement weather could affect the host city and subsequent matches.
New Orleans Saints vs. Atlanta Falcons, Sunday 1:00 p.m. ET Cincinnati Bengals vs. Carolina Panthers, Sunday 1:00 p.m. ET Philadelphia Eagles vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday 1:00 p.m. ET Tennessee Titans vs. Miami Dolphins, Monday 7:30 p.m. ET
(Top photo: Melina Myers / Imagn Images)
