Helene strengthened into a hurricane on Wednesday as forecasters warned it could become a major Category 3 storm before it makes landfall along Florida’s Gulf Coast late Thursday. The storm is expected to bring “life-threatening storm surge, damaging winds and flooding rains” to a large portion of Florida and the Southeast, the National Hurricane Center warned. A state of emergency has already been declared in Florida, where evacuations for people in low-lying areas are underway. Residents in the storm’s potential path have been told to prepare for up to a week without electricity. “It’s a big, big storm,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a press briefing Wednesday. “Many people will lose power … be prepared for that.”
According to the National Hurricane Center’s latest advisory, Helene — with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph — is located about 85 miles east-northeast of Cozumel, Mexico, and 500 miles south-southwest of Tampa, Fla., and is moving north-northwest at 10 mph. The storm is expected to rapidly intensify and come ashore along the Gulf Coast of Florida as a Category 3 storm, with maximum sustained winds exceeding 111 miles per hour. “Damaging hurricane-force winds are expected along portions of the coast of the Florida Big Bend, where a Hurricane Warning is now in effect,” the hurricane center said. “Preparations to protect life and property should be complete by early Thursday.” In addition to high winds, the storm will threaten millions of residents along the Gulf Coast with up to 12 inches of rainfall, as well as the possibility of tornadoes. Before it heads up into the Gulf of Mexico, Helene will bring heavy rain to portions of the western Caribbean, potentially mudslides and flooding across western Cuba. The system will also pose the threat of inland flooding across several U.S. states. “Considerable flash and urban flooding is expected across portions of Florida, the Southeast, southern Appalachians, and the Tennessee Valley Wednesday through Friday,” the National Hurricane Center said. There is the potential for life-threatening storm surge along the entire Florida peninsula, the weather service warned.
In addition to high winds, the storm will threaten millions of residents along the Gulf Coast with up to 12 inches of rainfall, as well as the possibility of tornadoes. Before it heads up into the Gulf of Mexico, Helene will bring heavy rain to portions of the western Caribbean, potentially mudslides and flooding across western Cuba. The system will also pose the threat of inland flooding across several U.S. states. “Considerable flash and urban flooding is expected across portions of Florida, the Southeast, southern Appalachians, and the Tennessee Valley Wednesday through Friday,” the National Hurricane Center said. There is the potential for life-threatening storm surge along the entire Florida peninsula, the weather service warned.
