Helene to become major hurricane aimed at Florida’s Gulf coast; governor declares state of emergency

Forecasters warned residents along Florida’s Gulf coast of potential Hurricane Helene, which is expected to form in the next 48 hours and track toward an area somewhere between Tampa and Pensacola late in the week.

The National Hurricane Center said in their 5 p.m. update Monday that the system is expected to intensify into a major hurricane with winds up to 115 mph before it approaches the northeastern Gulf Coast on Thursday.

Because of the storm threat, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday afternoon issued a state of emergency in 41 Florida counties.

The storm is developing south of Cuba and should travel north into the Gulf of Mexico as it strengthens, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Forecasters expect the storm will become a hurricane by Wednesday morning as it passes between Cuba and the Yucatan Peninsula. It will then track to the northeast toward Florida’s panhandle.

There are now tropical storm warnings and hurricane watches issued for parts of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and Cuba. A tropical storm watch has been issued for the Dry Tortugas and the Lower Florida Keys south of the Seven Mile Bridge.

“Hurricane conditions are possible within the watch areas by early Wednesday. Tropical storm conditions are expected in the warning areas beginning on Tuesday,” said the NHC.

The system is currently located 105 miles south-southwest of Grand Cayman, moving north-northwest at 7 mph with maximum sustained wind speeds of 35 mph.

Various computer forecasting models — also known as spaghetti models — show Tampa to Pensacola, including Tallahassee, should be vigilant.

By Thursday, as the system approaches Florida’s panhandle, wind speeds could reach 110 mph, said the NHC. That would put the storm on the upper end of a Category 2 hurricane.

High water temperatures, which fuel hurricane formation, are present along the projected path of the storm, said University of Miami meteorologist Brian McNoldy on X.