September 24th 2024.
On a Tuesday morning, the National Hurricane Center officially named a new tropical storm, Helene, in the Caribbean. And according to their latest advisory, Helene is expected to strengthen into a Category 3 hurricane, making its way towards Florida and the US.
In fact, experts are predicting that Helene could potentially be the strongest storm to hit America in over a year. This tropical storm has formed in the northwestern Caribbean Sea and is projected to intensify as it moves towards the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
In just 48 hours, Helene could become a powerful Category 3 hurricane, as shown by the latest satellite images. And according to the National Hurricane Center's probable path map, Helene is set to make landfall on the Florida Gulf Coast on Thursday night.
As a precautionary measure, hurricane watch has been activated in Florida, stretching from Tallahassee to Tampa. And Mexico has also issued a hurricane warning for the area between Tulum and Cabo Catoche. As a result, evacuations have already begun in some parts of Florida's coast.
Mandatory evacuations have been ordered in several counties, including Charlotte, Franklin, Gulf, Hernando, Manatee, Pinellas, and Sarasota. AccuWeather's lead hurricane expert, Alex DaSilva, has advised everyone along the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend region to be prepared for potential hurricane impacts.
According to the latest wind speed probabilities map, Tropical Storm Helene is expected to make landfall on Florida's Gulf Coast, with potential impacts reaching Georgia, Alabama, and parts of Mexico. And if this were to happen, it would be the first time since Idalia in 2023 that a Category 3 hurricane has struck the US. Idalia caused record-breaking storm surge through Tampa after making landfall in the Big Bend region.
Should Helene make landfall as a hurricane, it would be the fourth storm to strike the US mainland this season. As always, it's important to stay informed and heed any evacuation orders in order to stay safe during this potentially dangerous storm.
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