**Hurricane Helene Forces MLB Schedule Shuffle and Prompts Evacuations**

Major League Baseball has made the decision to reschedule two pivotal late-season games between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets due to the impending threat of Hurricane Helene. The storm, now officially classified as Category 1, is rapidly approaching the Florida Gulf Coast and southern Georgia. As a result, the Braves and Mets will face off in a doubleheader on Monday, just one day before the MLB Playoffs begin. This change comes as the region braces for a potentially severe weather event.

The Braves, hosting the Mets at Truist Park for a crucial three-game series, are currently locked in a tight race for a playoff spot. With only a few games remaining on their respective schedules, this matchup is particularly significant. The area is currently under a hurricane warning issued by the National Weather Service, which indicates that "hurricane conditions are expected." Governors Brian Kemp of Georgia, Roy Cooper of North Carolina, and Ron DeSantis of Florida have all declared states of emergency in anticipation of the storm.

The latest forecast from the National Weather Service this afternoon suggests that Hurricane Helene could intensify to a Category 4 storm before making landfall late Thursday. The storm's projected wind speeds range from 130-156 mph on impact, and its substantial size raises additional concerns. Tropical storm-force winds are anticipated to extend over a more than 200-mile-wide swath. According to Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach, Helene is forecast to be one of the largest storms to hit the Gulf of Mexico region in the past seven years.

As a result of the approaching storm, tropical storm warnings now cover nearly the entire states of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, as well as the mountains of North Carolina, with specific areas under hurricane warnings. A storm surge warning is also in effect for most of Florida's west coast. The Braves-Mets series was impacted by the forecasted rain, which was expected to start around game time tonight. The chances of rain reaching 100 percent at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, prompted MLB to postpone both games rather than relocate them to a neutral site.

Both of Florida's MLB teams, the Miami Marlins and the Tampa Bay Rays, are playing out of town this week and are not in contention for the playoffs. The National Hurricane Center upgraded the storm from tropical-storm status on Wednesday morning. Helene is predicted to strengthen over the Gulf of Mexico, hitting Florida's Gulf Coast by late Thursday with sustained winds in the triple digits and a potentially life-threatening storm surge of 15-20 feet in the Big Bend area of the Panhandle. Even areas as far south as Tampa could experience a storm surge of 5-8 feet.

Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for numerous counties across Florida, including Sarasota, Hillsborough, Manatee, Charlotte, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Citrus, Levy, Dixie, Lafayette, Leon, and Gulf. All counties in the Big Bend region, such as Franklin, Wakulla, and Taylor, are also under mandatory evacuation orders. The storm's significant impact zone includes Atlanta, a major center for film and television production, which is likely to experience tropical storm-force winds despite being located approximately 85 miles north of where hurricane-force winds are expected to reach.

Walt Disney World in Orlando is also preparing for Helene. While the resort plans to remain open, some attractions will be closed on Thursday. These include Disney's Typhoon Lagoon, the resort's miniature golf courses, and Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Universal Orlando's popular Halloween Horror Night will proceed as planned for Thursday, although Universal Volcano Bay will be closed for the day.

As Hurricane Helene continues to advance, authorities and organizations across the affected regions are prioritizing safety and making necessary adjustments to accommodate the severe weather conditions.