(This story was updated to add new information.)
Florida is bracing for landfall from major Hurricane Helene, which National Hurricane Center forecasters expect to bring catastrophic winds, storm surge and flooding.
Tropical Storm Isaac formed late Wednesday but is expected to remain over the central and eastern subtropical Atlantic, according to the NHC. But Helene's ominous forecast is in front of Florida, and the southeastern United States. A third system has a high chance of becoming a tropical depression in the next couple of days.
Hurricane Helene is expected to make landfall as a major hurricane Thursday along Florida's Gulf Coast. Current predictions put the storm's landfall along Florida's Big Bend, but a more certain track is waiting for further development.
➤ Spaghetti models for Hurricane Helene
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Forecasters also are warning that the size of what could become Hurricane Helene today, Sept. 25, means impa c ts could be felt hundreds of miles from the storm's center.
Potential impacts include hurricane-force winds, catastrophic storm surge, heavy rain, flooding and a risk for tropical tornadoes.
“AccuWeather expert meteorologists expect this to be a highly impactful storm,” said AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter. “This could be the storm that the 2024 hurricane season is remembered for.”
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Here's the latest update from the National Hurricane Center in Miami as of 11 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25:
Hurricane Helene: Winds, where is the hurricane?
Location: About 425 miles southwest of Tampa and 465 miles southwest of Apalachicola, Florida Maximum sustained winds: 85 mph Speed: 9 mph Pressure: 972 MB
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Spaghetti models for Hurricane Helene
Special note about spaghetti models: Illustrations include an array of forecast tools and models, and not all are created equal. The Hurricane Center uses only the top four or five highest-performing models to help make its forecasts.
➤ Spaghetti models for Tropical Storm Helene
What else is out there and how likely are they to strengthen?
Tropical Storm Isaac, Central subtropical Atlantic: At 11 p.m. EDT, the center of Tropical Storm Isaac was located 690 miles east-northeast of Bermuda.
Isaac is moving toward the east near 12 mph and a general eastward to east-northeastward motion. Aa slightly faster speed is anticipated over the next several days. Recent satellite wind data indicates that maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph with higher gusts.
Some strengthening is forecast during the next couple of days and Isaac could be near hurricane intensity by the end of the week. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 220 miles from the center.
Invest 98L, Eastern and Central Tropical Atlantic: Showers and thunderstorms have become slightly better organized over the past 24 hours in association with a broad low pressure system along a tropical wave located several hundred miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands.
Environmental conditions appear favorable for gradual development of this system, and a tropical depression is likely to form during the next couple of days while it moves westward to west-northwestward across the eastern and central tropical Atlantic.
- Formation chance through 48 hours: high, 70 percent.
- Formation chance through 7 days: high, 80 percent.
What do the colored areas on the NOAA map mean?
The hatched areas on a tropical outlook map indicate "areas where a tropical cyclone — which could be a tropical depression, tropical storm or hurricane — could develop," said National Hurricane Center Deputy Director Jamie Rhome.
The colors make it visibly clear how likely a system could develop with yellow being low, orange medium and red high.
The National Hurricane Center generally doesn't issue tropical advisories until there is a named storm, but there is an exception.
"If a system is near land and there is potential for development, the National Hurricane Center won't wait before it issues advisories, even if the system hasn't become an actual storm. This gives residents time to prepare," Rhome said.
Who is likely to be impacted?
Florida could see catastrophic impacts from Helene Thursday, including hurricane-force winds, heavy rain, life-threatening storm surge, power outages and tornadoes.
➤ Excessive rainfall forecast
It's too early at this time to determine if there will be any impact to Florida or the U.S. from the tropical waves in the Atlantic.
Forecasters urge all residents to continue monitoring the tropics and to always be prepared. That advice is particularly important for what is expected to be a very active hurricane season.
Weather watches and warnings issued in Florida
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When is the Atlantic hurricane season?
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30.
The Atlantic basin includes the northern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico.
When is the peak of hurricane season?
The peak of the season was Sept. 10, with the most activity happening between mid-August and mid-October, according to the Hurricane Center.
National Hurricane Center map: What are forecasters watching now?
Systems currently being monitored by the National Hurricane Center include:
Interactive map: Hurricanes, tropical storms that have passed near your city
Excessive rainfall forecast
What's next?
We will continue to update our tropical weather coverage daily. Download your local site's app to ensure you're always connected to the news. And look for our special subscription offers here .
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: National Hurricane Center tracking Hurricane Helene. Tropical Storm Isaac forms in Atlantic
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