Tropical Storm Helene is forecast to rapidly intensify into a Category 3 storm on a path for the Florida coast, with residents already evacuating and filling sandbags. The storm is expected to make landfall late on Thursday.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has expanded a state of emergency declaration to 61 counties, with voluntary or mandatory evacuation orders issued for 13 counties. Electric generators, emergency food and water supplies.
Tropical storm warnings and hurricane watches are in effect for portions of western Cuba and Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, with those with travel plans to Cancun, Playa del Carmen.
Sea surface temperatures in the path of Helene are as warm as 89 degrees Fahrenheit, 2 to 4 degrees F above normal, which will likely fuel the storm's anticipated rapid intensification.
An otherwise favorable environment with high levels of storm-nurturing moisture and low levels of storm-killing wind shear means that there is high confidence that Helene will rapidly intensify.
Official projections from the National Hurricane Center call for Helene to become a devastating Category 3 hurricane with peak sustained winds of 115 mph at landfall. Well-built framed homes may incur major damage or removal of roof decking.
Hurricane Helene will be a large, fast-moving storm with impacts that extend well away from the center, especially on the storm's east side. Communities from the Florida Keys north to Tampa could experience destructive storm surge flooding.
The Gulf Coast of Florida is especially susceptible to storm surge flooding from hurricanes due to the shallow waters and shape of the coastline. National Hurricane Center forecasters expect the size of the hurricane to be in the 90th percentile for that region.
Residents on the west coast of Florida are urged to heed evacuation notices from local officials and encouraged not to focus just on the center line of the forecast track. The storm's impacts will be felt well away from the center.