Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine strengthened into Tropical Storm Helene Tuesday morning as it begins picking up speed and continues its trek north-northwest toward the southeastern Gulf of Mexico, according to the National Hurricane Center's latest advisory .
The probable path of the storm's center shifted further east overnight, pointing it more toward the eastern Florida Panhandle and Big Bend area.
Hurricane and tropical storm watches have been issued across Florida's Gulf Coast, stretching as far west as the Walton County line to as far south as the Dry Tortugas.
Potential Tropical Cyclone 9 timeline: When will Tropical Cyclone Nine become Hurricane Helene and make landfall? Here's a timeline
Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 61 counties ahead of what could be a Category 3 Hurricane Helene by the time it makes landfall Thursday .
Florida Panhandle and Big Bend residents should continue monitoring the storm as it develops and make sure their hurricane preparations are in order as soon as possible.
Here is the latest on Tropical Storm Helene.
Tropical Storm Helene has strengthened again with maximum wind speeds up to 60 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center's latest update .
Later tonight, Helene is expected to turn toward the northwest before it begins a general northward motion on Wednesday. It will continue on that trajectory through Friday.
Tropical Storm Helene will pass near the northeastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula on Wednesday at near hurricane strength. The NHC forecasts that Hurricane Helene will form later Wednesday and could become a major hurricane on Thursday.
President Joe Biden approved federal funding for Florida communities that could be impacted by Tropical Storm Helene, which is expected to make landfall around the Big Bend area late Thursday.
Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 41 of Florida's 67 counties in advance of " Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine ," according to an executive order released Monday.
On Tuesday, he expanded that to another 20 counties , for a total of 61 counties.
The president authorized FEMA to coordinate disaster relief efforts in the Sunshine State. Federal funding will be available to state, tribal and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency protective measures limited to direct federal assistance and reimbursement for mass care, including evacuation and shelter support, according to a FEMA news release.
The assistance will be available for Bay, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, Dixie, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Monroe, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Suwannee, Taylor and Wakulla counties.
Federal funding will also be available to provide emergency protective measures limited to direct federal assistance for Alachua, Bradford, Columbia, Escambia, Hamilton, Holmes, Marion, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Sumter, Union, Walton and Washington counties.
Tropical Storm Helene strengthened again late Monday afternoon as its maximum sustained wind speeds reached 50 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center's latest advisory.
Helene is expected to intensify and be near hurricane strength when it passes near the Yucatan Peninsula coast on Wednesday. It will continue to rapidly intensify and grow in size once it formally reaches the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Helene's large size will likely cause an extensive area to be affected by the storm's hazards.
The tropical storm is still moving toward the west-northwest near 12 mph, and it's expected to turn northwest later tonight. By Wednesday morning, it will start following a northward notion through Friday. It's expected to reach the Big Bend coast of Florida by late Thursday.
Tropical Storm Helene continues to organize over the northwestern Caribbean Sea, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Helene has been wobbling now that it has become more defined. The storm is expected to turn toward the northwest later Tuesday before it moves north to north-northeastward at a faster rate on Wednesday and Thursday.
On Tuesday night, Helene will move across the far northwestern Caribbean Sea to near the northeastern coast of the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico. It will potentially reach Florida's Gulf Coast late Thursday.
Wind speeds have maintained at 45 mph with higher gusts, and Hurricane Helene is still expected to form Wednesday.
The tropical storm warning issued for Grand Cayman was discontinued, but hurricane and storm surge watches remain in effect for portions of the Florida Gulf Coast.
Tropical Storm Helene formed over the northwestern Caribbean Sea Tuesday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center's latest advisory.
Tropical storm warnings and watches have been issued to more portions of the western Florida coast as Helene picks up speed and begins to wedge itself between the Cancun Peninsula and the western tip of Cuba.
Data from an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft shows that Helene has formed a well-defined center of circulation and maximum wind speeds shot up to 45 mph with higher gusts.
Helene is expected to continue strengthening and will likely become a hurricane by Wednesday. By Thursday, Helene could become a major hurricane before it makes landfall near the Florida Big Bend area.
Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine began picking up steam, moving north-northwest at about 9 mph, but there has been little development so far. Strengthening is expected to continue over the next few days as the storm reaches the Gulf of Mexico, which will fuel rapid intensification.
The storm's path shifted east overnight, putting its sights more toward Florida's Big Bend and the eastern Panhandle area. Hurricane and tropical storm watches have been issued across much of Florida's Gulf and western coasts.
Florida Panhandle and Big Bend residents shouldn't be confused by what could be misconstrued as a lull in development, however. AccuWeather still expects the storm to make landfall as a Category 3 hurricane.
A hurricane warning has been issued in Florida, from the Anclote River to Mexico Beach. A storm surge warning has also been issued from Flamingo to Indian Pass, Florida, including Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor.
Tropical storm warnings and watches have also been issued and extended for many other parts of Florida.
Where is Tropical Storm Helene now?
The system is moving north near 9 mph. It's expected to begin moving northwestward on Tuesday and Tuesday night before it shifts toward a faster northward or north-northeast trajectory over the next couple of days.
- Tropical Cyclone Nine is about 115 miles east-southeast of Cozumel, Mexico
- Tropical Cyclone Nine is about 145 miles south of the western tip of Cuba
- Maximum sustained winds: 60 mph
- Present movement: West-northwest at 12 mph
Tropical Storm Helene's expected impacts
Rainfall : Helene is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 4 to 8 inches over western Cuba and the Cayman Islands with isolated totals around 12 inches. Over the eastern Yucatan Peninsula, 4 to 6 inches of rain are expected with isolated totals over 8 inches. This rainfall brings a risk of considerable flooding.
Over the Southeastern U.S., Helene is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 4 to 8 inches with isolated totals around 12 inches. This rainfall will likely result in areas of considerable flash and urban flooding, with areas of significant river flooding likely, including the risk of landslides in areas of steep terrain in the southern Appalachians.
Storm surge : The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide:
- Ochlockonee River to Chassahowitzka: 10-15 ft
- Chassahowitzka to Anclote River: 6-10 ft
- Indian Pass to Ochlockonee River: 5-10 ft
- Anclote River to Middle of Longboat Key: 5-8 ft
- Tampa Bay: 5-8 ft
- Middle of Longboat Key to Englewood: 4-7 ft
- Englewood to Bonita Beach: 3-5 ft
- Charlotte Harbor: 3-5 ft
Storm surge could raise water levels by as much as 2 to 4 feet above normal tide levels in areas of onshore winds along the southern coast of Pinar del Rio, Cuba, including the Isle of Youth.
Storm surge could raise water levels by as much as 2 to 4 feet above ground level in areas of onshore winds within the warning area along the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula.
Wind : Hurricane conditions are expected in the hurricane warning area in Mexico on Wednesday. Hurricane conditions are expected within the U.S. hurricane warning area late Thursday. Tropical storm conditions are expected to begin in the tropical storm warning area Florida on Wednesday and spread northward through Thursday. Tropical storm conditions are possible within the tropical storm watch area beginning Thursday.
Surf : Swells generated by Helene will affect the southern coast of Cuba and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico during the next couple of days. Swells will spread northward toward the west coast of Florida and the northeastern Gulf Coast on Wednesday and Thursday. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. Please consult products from your local weather office.
Tropical Storm Helene models
https://data.pnj.com/storm/nine/al092024/#spaghettiEmbed:
Tropical Storm Helene watches and warnings
A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for:
- Indian Pass southward to Flamingo
- Tampa Bay
- Charlotte Harbor
A Storm Surge Watch means there is a possibility of life- threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline, in the indicated locations during the next 48 hours.
A hurricane warning is in effect for:
- Anclote River to Mexico Beach, Florida
- Cabo Catoche to Tulum, Mexico
A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area. A warning is typically issued 36 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous. Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion.
A Hurricane Watch is in effect for:
- Cuban province of Pinar del Rio
- Englewood to Anclote River, including Tampa Bay
A Hurricane Watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area. A watch is typically issued 48 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous.
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for:
- Dry Tortugas
- Lower and Middle Florida Keys west of the Channel 5 Bridge
- Flamingo to Anclote River, including Tampa Bay
- Rio Lagartos to Tulum, Mexico
- Cuban provinces of Artemisa, Pinar del Rio, and the Isle of Youth
A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area within the next 36 hours.
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for:
- Lake Okeechobee
- Palm Beach/Martin County Line northward to the Savannah River
A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area, generally within 48 hours.
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This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Tropical Storm Helene winds now up to 60 mph as it nears Yucatan Peninsula
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