Floridians are scrambling to prepare for Tropical Storm Helene, which is rapidly intensifying and projected to make landfall as the strongest storm to hit the US in over a year, CNN reports.
The storm formed in the northwestern Caribbean Sea Tuesday morning and is expected to rapidly intensify as it crosses the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Helene could transform from a 45 mph tropical storm to a Category 3 major hurricane in a mere 48 hours.
The National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane warning for parts of Florida’s Gulf Coast, extending from Anclote River to Mexico Beach. Mexico has also issued a hurricane warning from Cabo Catoche to Tulum.
As of 11 p.m. ET, Helene’s maximum sustained winds have reached 60 mph with higher gusts. The storm is projected to make landfall late Thursday on Florida’s Gulf Coast, potentially in the Big Bend region.
Time Running Out for Preparation
The storm’s accelerated timeline means that Floridians have limited time to prepare for potentially damaging winds, flooding rainfall, and life-threatening storm surge. While the exact path of the storm may shift in the coming days, the National Hurricane Center warns that its worst impacts could affect a wide area.
Evacuations Underway
Evacuations began Tuesday in several coastal areas of Florida facing the threat of dangerous storm surge. Officials have ordered mandatory evacuations in parts of at least seven counties, including Pinellas, Hernando, Charlotte, Gulf, Manatee, and Sarasota. Mandatory evacuations have also been ordered for the entirety of Franklin, Wakulla, and Taylor counties.
Wider Impact Across the Southeast
The storm’s reach will extend far beyond Florida, with torrential rain, strong winds capable of causing widespread power outages, and the threat of tornadoes stretching into the Southeast.
The last Category 3 hurricane to make landfall in the US, Idalia, also came ashore in the Big Bend region last August, generating a record-breaking storm surge.
