Hurricane Helene live updates: Storm strengthens as Florida braces for potential Category 4 landfall
Hurricane Helene could bring ‘unprecedented damage’ to Florida
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Hurricane Helene could strengthen to a Category 4 storm as it advances across Mexico’s coast towards the US, AccuWeather forecasts.
Just over a month after Storm Debby hurtled into the Sunshine State, Hurricane Helene now threatens to become the strongest storm to hit the US in over a year. The storm is expected to make landfall near Florida’s Big Bend region on Thursday.
Helene will be the fourth hurricane to make landfall in the US this year.
Hurricane Helene, currently a Category 1 storm, has 80 mph winds as of Wednesday morning. Florida officials are warning residents to brace for life-threatening rain, floods and storm surge.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency on Tuesday, and several areas are under hurricane warnings. Florida’s Big Bend will see the worst of the storm surge, with up to 15 feet possible this week.
Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey told residents the storm could bring “unprecedented damage” to the Florida city.
“We will have countless downed trees. We will have structural damage. We will have loss of power,” Dailey said on Wednesday. “Yes, if our community remains central in Helene’s path as forecasted, we will see unprecedented damage like nothing we have ever experienced before.”
Tracked: Where is Tropical Storm Helene now?
Tropical Storm Helene is expected to pass near the northeastern coast of the Yucatán Peninsula during the next several hours where it is anticipated to be upgraded to a hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center’s forecast on Wednesday morning.
Helene is epexcted to “rapidly intensify and grow in size” as it passes over the eastern Gulf of Mexico, it added.
With it, Helene may bring life-threatening storm surge across the entire west coast of the Florida Peninsula and Big Bend. Hurricane-force winds could also pummel the Big Bend.
Hurricane warnings beamed out to Florida and Mexico residents
Tropical Storm Helene was rapidly strengthening in the Caribbean Sea and expected to become a hurricane Wednesday while moving north along Mexico's coast toward the US, prompting residents to evacuate, schools to close and officials to declare emergencies in Florida and Georgia.
The storm is forecast to be “near hurricane strength” when it passes near Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula early Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center said, and to “intensify and grow in size” as it moves north across the Gulf of Mexico.
Find out more below:
Tropical Storm Helene strengthens as hurricane warnings cover parts of Florida and Mexico
Forecasters say they expect Tropical Storm Helene in the Caribbean Sea to strengthen rapidly and become a hurricane as it moves north across the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday toward the U.S. The National Hurricane Center has issued hurricane warnings for northwestern Florida's coastline and part of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula
In pictures: Florida prepares for Storm Helene as it approaches the Yucatan Peninsula
Life-threatening storm surge expected at Florida’s big bend
What to know as Tropical Storm Helene sets sights on Florida
Another storm system is taking aim at Florida, this time possibly the Panhandle with storm effects all along the Gulf Coast.
Tropical Storm Helene, soon to be a hurricane, is sweeping up from the Caribbean Sea into extremely warm waters that are fuel for tropical cyclones.
Curt Anderson details what you need to know:
What to know as Tropical Storm Helene takes aim at Florida
Another storm system is taking aim at Florida
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