First hurricane warnings issued for Florida as evacuation orders increase due to Tropical Storm Helene

TAMPA — Tropical Storm Helene puts Florida and the Southeast on high alert for significant impacts this week as the first hurricane warnings have been issued for the Sunshine State. The storm is expected to strengthen into a major hurricane, bringing with it a potentially deadly storm surge, torrential rains and damaging hurricane-force winds.

Tropical Storm Helene is now the eighth named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, and the National Hurricane Center (NHC) expects it to intensify into a major hurricane (Category 3 or higher) as it approaches the Big Bend region of Florida.

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Jamie Rhome, deputy director of the National Hurricane Center, said Helene is unique because of its size and expected intensification over the next 24 hours.

“Many people are mistakenly using the current intensity, what it looks like on satellite imagery right now, as a general risk indicator. They are not indicating what the storm will look like when it moves ashore or into their community, but what it looks like now,” Rhome said. “Until a few hours ago, it didn't look particularly organized on satellite imagery. So many people may have mistakenly dismissed this storm.”

Mandatory evacuations underway in Florida

As future Hurricane Helene sets its sights on the Sunshine State, residents are eagerly preparing for the storm as state and local authorities begin issuing mandatory evacuation orders and declaring states of emergency.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency for 61 of the state's 67 counties to help authorities prepare for the approaching storm.

Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued along Florida's entire Gulf Coast, from the Panhandle to Southwest Florida.

Helene is not only likely to cause problems in Florida. Tropical storm gusts could cause power outages across the Southeast as Helene moves further inland. On Tuesday, President Joe Biden approved federal aid for Georgia and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency.

Helene will also be a rainmaker for the southeast.

“The other thing that's unique about big storms is that they can maintain their momentum and carry it further inland, both the wind and in this case the rain,” Rhome said. “Look how far inland it reaches, as far as Atlanta, northern South Carolina and possibly even western North Carolina. This system could have significant impacts down the road.”

Where are watches and warnings for Tropical Storm Helene in effect?

Storm surge and hurricane warnings are in effect for Florida's Gulf Coast.

In Florida, a storm surge warning has been issued from Flamingo to Indian Pass, including Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor.

Warnings for tropical storms, storm surges and hurricanes.

A hurricane warning has been issued from the Anclote River to Mexico Beach, Florida.

The Mexican government has issued a hurricane warning for the area from Cabo Catoche to Tulum.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for the central Florida Keys to the Channel 5 Bridge. A tropical storm warning has been issued for the Florida Gulf Coast from Flamingo northward to the Anclote River, including Tampa Bay, and west of Mexico Beach to the Walton and Bay county line.

WHAT TO DO IF HURRICANE OR TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES ARE ISSUED FOR YOUR CITY?

A hurricane warning is in effect from Englewood to Indian Pass and Tampa Bay.

According to the current forecast, hurricane force winds are possible in the observation areas until Wednesday morning, and tropical storm force winds are expected in the warning areas from Tuesday onwards.

What is the forecast for Tropical Storm Helene?

According to the NHC, Helene will reach maximum sustained winds of at least 50 mph with stronger gusts.

The system is moving northwest and this general motion is expected through Tuesday night, followed by a faster north-northeast motion on Wednesday and Thursday.

Strong winds and dangerous surf are expected on Grand Cayman on Tuesday.

Helene is expected to rapidly intensify over the eastern Gulf of Mexico and become a major hurricane as it approaches the northeastern Gulf Coast on Thursday. Rapid intensification is the process when a storm rapidly strengthens, including when the maximum sustained winds for a tropical cyclone increase by at least 35 mph over a 24-hour period.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TROPICAL DEPRESSION, A TROPICAL STORM AND A HURRICANE?

Latest song by Tropical Storm Helene.

Tropical Storm Helene is expected to bring gusty winds, heavy rainfall with the possibility of flash flooding, coastal flooding, and hazardous beach conditions across Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, western Cuba, and the U.S. Gulf Coast in Florida.

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According to the NHC, models indicate that a better-defined center should develop, and conditions appear favorable for significant strengthening as the system moves across the Gulf of Mexico and possibly makes landfall in Florida on Thursday. According to the NHC, Helene is forecast to become a hurricane on Wednesday and could become a major hurricane on Thursday.

From Wednesday through Friday, heavy rains will spread from the Gulf Coast into the southeastern United States, possibly causing flash flooding and river flooding.

The National Weather Services in the South and Southeast released an additional weather balloon early Tuesday morning to collect additional atmospheric data. The balloons measure temperature, dew point, relative humidity, barometric pressure, and wind direction and speed, and reach altitudes of up to 20 miles above the ground before they burst.

By launching additional balloons, meteorologists and the computers that create our forecast models can obtain updated, real-time weather data from the upper atmosphere, which is critical to the accuracy of model projections.

The NWS is asking 18 of its offices in the region to double the number of balloon releases during the week to every 6 hours instead of every 12 hours as Helene approaches the United States.