Tropical Storm Helene is anticipated to intensify into a hurricane on Wednesday as it progresses northward along Mexico’s coast towards the U.S. This has led to evacuations, school closures, and emergency declarations across the Tampa Bay region and the entire Gulf Coast. The most severe conditions are expected soon, prompting the cancellation of classes in schools and colleges and urging evacuations in low-lying areas.
“It’s going to be a very large system with impacts across all of Florida,” said Larry Kelly, a specialist at the hurricane center.
Some residents started filling sandbags ahead of anticipated flooding and began leaving areas on the coast.
President Joe Biden declared an emergency in Florida and deployed Federal Emergency Management Agency teams to Florida and Alabama to support local first responders. Federal authorities were positioning generators, food and water, along with search-and-rescue and power restoration teams, the White House said.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also issued an emergency for most of the state’s counties, while Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp declared an emergency in his state as well.
Helene is the eighth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which began June 1. Since 2000, eight major hurricanes have made landfall in Florida, according to Philip Klotzbach, a Colorado State University hurricane researcher.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted an above-average Atlantic hurricane season this year because of record-warm ocean temperatures. It forecast 17 to 25 named storms before the season ends Nov. 30, with four to seven major hurricanes of Category 3 or higher.