Forecasters expect strong winds, lots of rains from Helene in Florida Keys

Key West and the Florida Keys will remain hundreds of miles from the center of Tropical Storm Helene as it passes the island chain on its way to landfall somewhere in the Big Bend region of the state, but forecasters are bracing for high winds, heavy rains and localized flooding in the archipelago.

This means sustained tropical storm force winds from 30 to 40 mph in the Lower and Middle Keys and 25 to 35 mph sustained winds from Islamorada to Ocean Reef in the Upper Keys, Jonathan Rizzo, warning coordination meteorologist for National Weather Service Key West, said at his 9:30 a.m. briefing Wednesday.

This is in addition to frequent squalls with damaging wind gusts up to 55 and 65 mph, and possible isolated tornadoes, Rizzo said.

READ MORE: Most of Florida blanketed with storm warnings ahead of Cat 3 strike from Helene

These conditions could come as early as mid to late afternoon, but more likely Wednesday night around midnight, lasting throughout the day on Thursday, Rizzo said.

Rainfall accumulations are expected to be between 2 and 4 inches, with some areas receiving as much as 6 inches Thursday and Friday, he said.

Rizzo said to brace for storm surge from the surrounding ocean, Gulf and Florida Bay from between 1 to 3 feet above ground level at the lowest elevated shorelines, which could extend over streets and low-elevated properties a few feet from the shoreline.

The conditions the island chain is expected to see could bring downed tree limbs and trees, isolated power outages and strong crosswinds on elevated bridges like the Seven Mile Bridge, Boca Chica Bridge, Niles Channel Bridge and the Long Key Bridge, Rizzo warned.

Helene is forecast to make a turn north Wednesday and become a strong hurricane before it makes landfall in the Big Bend region late Thursday. On Wednesday morning, it was 390 miles southwest of Key West, 410 miles southwest of the Middle Keys city of Marathon and 460 miles southwest of Key Largo in the Upper Keys, according to the National Weather Service.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.