Tropical Storm Helene is currently gaining strength in the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea and is anticipated to develop into a hurricane by Wednesday. The storm is tracking a path that will take it northward along Mexico’s coastline towards the United States. This progression has prompted evacuations, school closures, and the declaration of emergencies in Florida and Georgia.
Forecasts indicate that Helene will approach Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula early Wednesday at essentially hurricane strength and continue to intensify and expand in size as it advances north over the Gulf of Mexico. Significant rainfall is expected across the southeastern U.S. beginning Wednesday, with a dangerous storm surge forecasted along the entire west coast of Florida, as warned by the U.S. National Hurricane Center.
Warnings for hurricanes have been put into effect for portions of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and the northwestern coastline of Florida where storm surges of up to 15 feet (4.5 meters) are projected. Moreover, the hurricane watch area includes parts of western Cuba and Florida, encompassing the Tampa Bay region.
President Joe Biden has taken action by declaring a state of emergency in Florida and deploying teams from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to support local first responders in Florida and Alabama. The White House has indicated that generators, food, water, search-and-rescue crews, and power restoration teams are being positioned by federal authorities.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has also issued a state of emergency for most counties in the state, while Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has declared a similar emergency in Georgia. Authorities are cautioning about the potential for tornadoes developing Wednesday night in parts of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, with the risk increasing on Thursday across the region.
Tropical storm warnings have been issued for various areas including the upper Florida Keys, the southern Florida Peninsula, the northeast coast of Florida, and Altamaha Sound in Georgia. Additionally, hurricane watches are in place for parts of western Cuba and Florida, encompassing the Tampa Bay region, and a tropical storm watch applies to the South Carolina coast north of the Savannah River to the South Santee River.
As of the latest update at 8 a.m. Eastern Time, Helene was situated around 60 miles (100 kilometers) east-northeast of Cozumel, Mexico, and approximately 100 miles (160 kilometers) west-southwest of the western tip of Cuba. The storm is moving in a northwesterly direction at 9 mph (15 kph) with maximum sustained winds reaching 70 mph (110 kph).