‘This storm has rattled a lot of people’: Tallahassee braces for Hurricane Helene

TALLAHASSEE — As a potentially catastrophic Hurricane Helene churned its way north, residents of the state’s capital hit the few remaining stores and restaurants still open Thursday — or took solace in their decision to get out before the storm struck.

The two state universities located in the city — Florida State University and Florida A&M University — were deserted, closed due to the impending hurricane. A refugee center for students had been set up at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center nearby.

The sidewalks and roads around the state Capitol were nearly empty of pedestrians and traffic, after thousands of state workers were sent home at noon Wednesday.

Many residents — even veterans of past hurricanes like Hermine and Michael — chose to leave rather than ride out another storm, especially one that all forecasts said had the potential to become a major hurricane with devastating 125 mph winds and lacerating rains that would likely trigger flash flooding. Some of those evacuating were still recovering from tornadoes that damaged their homes in May.

“All signals of it being devastating and the trajectory wavering made me reach a decision point, especially with an elderly cat with kidney disease,” said Jeff VanderMeer, a popular science fiction author and longtime resident.

Fortunately, his wife was already out of harm’s way in Holland. So he and his black and white cat Neo decamped to a pet-friendly hotel in Greenville, S.C. — a city he was familiar with and knew could provide access to a veterinarian if necessary.

“This storm has rattled a lot of people who never left before,” VanderMeer said. “I think a lot of it is exhaustion and the uncertainty of the spaghetti models offering alternate realities … and the erratic nature of the storm. It’s psychological, too.”

Some still in town scurried around making last minute preparations, a difficult task when most businesses were closed.

The few fast-food restaurants that were open were jammed, with lines at the drive-thru as people grabbed a chance at one last hot meal before the storm struck.

Many gas stations were closed after running out of fuel Wednesday, and the ones that were open had lines of cars waiting to fill up.

A Home Depot on Capital Circle Northeast remained open through the morning where people could still grab pallets of water, large bags of charcoal, plastic gas cans and other last minute supplies.

Several people were eying the $900 portable generators that took up space where Christmas decorations were supposed to be displayed, asking questions about how they operate.

“We’re planning to stay open until about 1 p.m.,” said the store manager, who would only say his name was Tony. Any later, he added, and conditions wouldn’t be safe for employees to make it home.

Tallahassee-area Waffle House restaurants were closed, not a good sign since it is known as the last place to shut during an approaching storm. The restaurant chain’s resistance to closing is so reliable that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has adopted a Waffle House Index as a barometer of how bad things are locally.

The Chopstix Chinese Restaurant on Apalachee Parkway was still open and doing brisk takeout business at lunchtime. Owner Yang He said he planned to stay open until 4 p.m.

“I don’t think a lot of restaurants are open today,” he said.

Roosevelt Norton Jr., a general contractor who lives just outside of Tallahassee, said he’s weathered many hurricanes in his fifty-something years and was taking the approaching storm calmly, dismissing the alarming forecasts he’s seen online.

“It’s coming, but I don’t think it’s going to be a Category 4 like they are saying.” Norton said. Instead, he predicts the storm will be a much weaker Category 1 or 2 when it makes landfall.

A lot of the forecasts are for effect and good for business, said Norton, who planned to ride it out at his home. “Sometimes they go a little bit overboard.”