As Hurricane Helene intensifies and hits Florida as a major storm, residents and governments are bracing for the impact. The deadly and devastating Hurricane Ian of 2022 continues to batter the Gulf Coast.

Helene is forecast to become a Category 4 hurricane with winds of up to 130 mph (209 kph) when it makes landfall Thursday night, prompting emergencies, school closures and evacuation orders in parts of the state.

But as the latest weather disaster approaches, the shadow of 2022’s deadly and devastating Hurricane Ian hangs over Florida’s still-recovering Gulf Coast in the southwestern part of the state.

It has been exactly two years since Hurricane Ian made landfall near Cayo Costa, Florida, a small island west of Fort Myers, on the morning of September 28, 2022.

Ian made its impact as a Category 4 storm with sustained winds of 150 mph (240 km/h) and a deluge of rain and storm surge, making it one of the most powerful and deadliest hurricanes in Florida history.

The greatest impacts of Ian’s force were felt on Fort Myers Beach and the state’s barrier islands of Pine Island, Sanibel Island, Captiva and the village of Matlacha.

As the storm intensified, residents of the barrier islands were stranded on the Florida mainland as parts of the Sanibel Causeway were destroyed and portions of the Pine Island Bridge were partially washed away.

According to the Florida Department of Transportation, work continues to rebuild and improve the safety of both structures so they can withstand future storms.

Hurricane Ian’s strength was historic, with storm surges of 12 to 18 feet above ground level reported along Florida’s southwestern coast. The city of Fort Myers experienced a storm surge of 7.26 feet, which was a record high, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

In the days after Ian made landfall, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said nearly 2,500 people had been rescued by emergency services and more than 100,000 affected buildings had been searched.

The Florida Medical Examiners Commission confirmed that 149 people have died in the state from Hurricane Ian, with most of the victims on the state’s Gulf Coast in Lee County.

According to NOAA, Ian is the deadliest hurricane to hit Florida since 1935 and the costliest in the state’s history.

The aftermath of Hurricane Ian’s devastation left a $115.5 billion cleanup price tag. NOAA ranks Ian as the third costliest hurricane in U.S. history, behind Katrina in 2005 and Harvey in 2027.

Officials said the storm had severe impacts on the state’s power grid, with power outages reaching 2.5 million in the days following the storm.

Earlier this month, as the second anniversary of Ian’s landfall approaches, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced a six-month extension of its housing program that continues to support storm survivors.

Since Hurricane Ian, FEMA has provided temporary housing to more than 1,300 displaced families in the state. While more than 80 percent of the families have found permanent homes, the need for housing assistance in the region remains, the agency said.

Two years later, federal support for storm recovery totaled $10.2 billion for households, businesses, communities and flood insurance holders, FEMA said.

On the eve of Hurricane Helene’s expected landfall, mandatory evacuations are in effect in parts of at least 20 Florida counties, including Taylor, Sarasota, Gulf and Hillsborough.

Stay up to date with ABC News’ live coverage of Hurricane Helene and follow the storm’s progress.