Helene likely to become hurricane Wednesday

Tropical Storm Helene continues to churn in the Caribbean on Wednesday with rapid intensification likely meaning it will become a hurricane later in the day with its eye on a Florida landfall expected on Thursday.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said, and to “intensify and grow in size” as it moves north across the Gulf of Mexico. Heavy rainfall was forecast for the southeastern U.S. starting Wednesday, with a “life-threatening storm surge” along the entire west coast of Florida, according to the center.

Helene, which formed Tuesday in the Caribbean, is expected to move over deep, warm waters, fueling its intensification.

Helene is expected to become a major hurricane — a Category 3 or higher — on Thursday, the day it’s set to reach Florida’s Gulf Coast, according to the hurricane center. Sustained winds of up to 120 MPH area possible. The center has issued hurricane warnings for part of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and Florida’s northwestern coastline, where large storm surges of up to 15 feet were expected.

Several counties on Florida’s west and northwestern coasts have issued evacuation orders. Multiple school districts, including in the areas around Tampa and the state capital Tallahassee, plan to close schools or reduce hours starting Wednesday.

The storm is anticipated to be unusually large and fast-moving, meaning storm surges, wind and rain will likely extend far from the storm’s center, the hurricane center said. States as far inland as Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana could see rainfall.

Helene is the eighth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which began June 1.

The latest model trends push the remnants of Helene further away from the Weather First area meaning dry weather will be likely through the weekend into next week.