CNN
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If you haven’t prepared yet, now is the time. Hurricane Helene is expected to make landfall Thursday evening along Florida’s Gulf Coast near Tallahassee and then turn north, maintaining hurricane and tropical storm-force winds and torrential rains as far north as northern Georgia and as far south as Tennessee. Up to 18 inches of rain is expected in the Carolinas, the National Weather Service said Thursday.

According to Brandon Miller, CNN’s chief meteorologist, about 40 million Americans in five states are living under a direct hurricane or tropical storm warning.

Most areas will experience the brunt of the storm overnight. This requires special preparations.

“If someone goes to bed at 9 or 10 tonight, it might not seem so bad. It’s just a little windy, maybe 20 to 30 mph wind and rain. But at 2 or 3 a.m., those winds will potentially reach 50 to 60 miles per hour, and that’s why you need to prepare for that before you go to sleep,” Miller said.

Miller recommends turning up the volume on your phone or watch so you can hear any emergency alerts. It’s also a good idea to make sure these devices are close to you and fully charged. Many areas are expected to experience power outages overnight and strong winds may prevent crews from beginning restoration work.

Heavy rains can wet the ground and strong winds can cause trees to fall. That’s why it’s a good idea to sleep in a part of your house away from tall trees if possible.

“This is something people can do: pick a room in their house that is most protected from falling debris and sleep there tonight,” Miller said. In the event the storm produces tornadoes, which is likely, Miller recommends sleeping on the ground floor, indoors, away from windows.

Here are some other things you can do now to prepare and keep your family safe: