Tropical Storm Helene quickly formed on Wednesday morning as it heads towards Florida, becoming the strongest hurricane to hit the United States in nearly a year.
As the storm intensifies, it will grow into a massive force that will impact not only Florida but also much of the Southeast.
Time is running out for people in the United States to get ready. Thousands of Floridians have already been forced to evacuate coastal areas, and almost the entire state is under tropical storm warnings as Helene threatens to bring heavy rains, destructive winds, and a life-threatening storm surge.
Helene is expected to make landfall on Florida's Gulf Coast late Thursday, likely in the Big Bend region, and could become the largest hurricane to hit the United States in nearly a year. Helene, which was just 4 mph shy of becoming a hurricane on Wednesday morning, would be the fourth hurricane to make landfall in the United States this year and the fifth to strike Florida since 2022.
The storm emerged Tuesday morning in the northern Caribbean Sea and is rapidly intensifying. Helene may swiftly intensify from a 45-mph tropical storm to a Category 3 major hurricane in 48 hours as it moves over the Gulf of Mexico's exceptionally warm waters. Helene's maximum sustained winds had grown to 70 mph with greater gusts by 8 a.m. ET, according to the center.
A flood warning has been issued for more than 20 million people from Florida to the southern Appalachians, with tornadoes possible through Friday throughout the area.
The Big Bend region is most vulnerable to storm surge, which may reach 15 feet.
"If you're a godly person, pray, because I don't really need this," Port Richey homeowner Rick Way told CNN affiliate WFTS of the possible flooding Helene might produce. "Neither do any of us."
Helene arrives when Florida's Big Bend area is still recuperating from numerous previous storms. Hurricane Debby blasted into the area in early August as a Category 1 hurricane, and rehabilitation work are still underway as the country prepares for another blow. Idalia, the last Category 3 hurricane to make landfall in the United States, hit the Big Bend area in August of last year, causing a record-breaking storm surge from Tampa to the Big Bend.
Related: Is Tropical Storm Francine expected to strengthen into a hurricane before hitting Louisiana?
You see how close we are to the ocean," Way told WFTS. "Other neighbors across the street and elsewhere on the block received a foot to three feet of water. It didn't matter whether it was three feet or six inches. It still got us."
The National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane warning for areas of Florida's Gulf Coast, from the Anclote River to Mexico Beach, at 11 p.m. ET. The Mexican government has also issued a hurricane warning for Cabo Catoche and Tulum.
Evacuations started Tuesday for several coastal regions in Florida because of a potentially deadly storm surge. Officials have ordered mandatory evacuations in at least nine counties, including Citrus, Hillsborough, Charlotte, Gulf, Manatee, and Pinellas.
The sheriff's office in Taylor County, just southeast of Tallahassee, issued a mandatory evacuation order for all residents Tuesday evening and imposed a dawn to sunset curfew, according to a statement. "This system will be unlike anything we have experienced to date," the sheriff's office said. Mandatory evacuations have also been issued for all of Franklin and Wakulla counties.
The greater Southeast is also prepared for possibly significant and devastating repercussions. Torrential rain, powerful gusts with potential to cause substantial power disruptions, and the possibility of tornadoes will extend over.
When the storm hits south Georgia early Friday, it is expected to still be a hurricane.
From Wednesday to Friday, parts of the Southeast, southern Appalachians, and Tennessee Valley are predicted to experience significant and potentially deadly flash and urban flooding. There is also a chance of landslides in the southern Appalachians. Mild to moderate river flooding is expected across a wide area, with some isolated areas experiencing severe river flooding.
Related: Why do hurricanes strike the east coast of Canada and the United States but not the West coast?
The National Hurricane Center has also warned that the storm's path may change in the next few days, affecting where its strongest impacts will be felt.
Florida residents are preparing for Helene after recovering from Idalia and Ian.
Just over a year ago, Hurricane Idalia caused extensive damage to several homes in Florida. Now, those homeowners are bracing for another potentially destructive storm.
"If you don't do something, you're going to get it," Howard Rabe told CNN station WFTS. "We've been through a lot of these in all the years we've been here."
His house in Port Richey is located in the same neighborhood that flooded after Idalia in August. To protect his property from Helene, Rabe installed storm shutters and flood barriers on Tuesday.
In Sanibel, a couple who met during Hurricane Ian in 2022 and nearly lost everything is now getting ready to face Hurricane Helene together, according to CNN affiliate WINK.
Before Ian, Michele Vikartofsky and Larry Leventhal were strangers.
"We both were insane individuals who remained. We were neighbors. We hadn't met. We simply met after the storm, spent two days strolling around afterward, and now this has occurred.
The couple said they are much less worried this time.
"After experiencing Ian, it's like you can get through anything," Vikartofsky added.
"Ian was destructive. Ian taught us all a lesson that we never thought would happen here. We usually expect storm surge, but it never happened like Ian did. So yes, we've learned to be more vigilant and cautious," Vikartofsky said.
Vikartofsky told WINK that in a group chat with their neighbors, the couple talks about what they would do with their cars and transportation if there is severe flooding in their area.
Related: How do you predict if a hurricane is coming?
Another family in Manatee County is still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Debby in August.
"Overwhelmed. It's just too much for us. We're 84. At this age, it's hard to cope," Ron Booher told CNN affiliate WFTV.
In Gulf County, one resident and business owner said she is preparing for the worst.
Florida and Georgia governors declare emergencies
On Tuesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis extended an emergency declaration to 61 of the state's 67 counties due to the prospect of greater inland damage. The proclamation facilitates preparations and cooperation between state and municipal administrations before to the storm's arrival.
At least 3,000 soldiers of the Florida National Guard are ready to help with disaster relief operations, and the Florida State Guard has been mobilized, DeSantis said at a press conference Tuesday. DeSantis also said that the state has "hundreds of Starlinks" to deploy in the event that internet service is disrupted.
The storm's massive size and strength may cause up to 8 feet of surge in the Tampa region and feet of surge farther south. With little time to prepare, Tampa General Hospital started installing a 10-foot-high flood barrier around the institution on Monday due to the storm surge danger.
This storm is much larger than Idalia and Eta, and for Idalia, portions of our county had over 4 feet of storm surge and over 1,500 homes were flooded, Pinellas County disaster management director Cathie Perkins said at a press conference on Tuesday. If you experienced flooding for Eta and Idalia and the Christmas storm we had, you're most likely going to have flooding in your area again.
The repeated hits have driven Florida's insurance industry to the verge, with insurers withdrawing from the state owing to the rising danger of catastrophic weather caused by climate change.
According to Mayor Kenneth Welch, a mandatory evacuation order has been issued for all residential health care institutions along the shore of St. Petersburg, Florida, as residents prepare for Hurricane Helene, with further evacuation orders likely as the storm approaches.
This is a powerful storm, and the time to prepare is now," Welch said at a press conference. The mayor also recommended that locals limit their water consumption in the coming days to help prepare for storm surges of up to 5 to 8 feet in the region.
Several school districts along Florida's Gulf Coast, including Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Sarasota counties, have declared closures ahead of the storm's arrival. Several state colleges have also declared shutdown.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has also issued a state of emergency owing to the storm's projected effect later this week.
"As we watch Tropical Storm Helene's route and possible effect, I have declared a State of disaster, allowing disaster management personnel to plan for and divert resources well ahead of the storm's arrival. "Be vigilant and stay safe," Kemp said on X.
Georgia authorities have urged citizens to prepare for a wind event that will impact all 159 counties in the state.
"The old saying in emergency response is - you run from water, you hide from wind," Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency Director James Stallings said in a news conference Tuesday. He added that people should make sure their emergency supplies will keep them safe for up to 72 hours if power or water goes.
Tropical storm-force winds and torrential rains are expected in the Southeast starting mid-week. Wind gusts may start in the Florida Keys and sweep northward, hitting most of the Peninsula by Thursday morning. The strongest wind and rain may strike the Tampa region, with landfall forecasted southeast of Tallahassee late Thursday.
Heavy rainfall is expected, with the most intense falling Thursday night and Friday early. The Weather Prediction Center has issued a level 3 of 4 danger of flooding rain for regions of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and the Carolinas. Rainfall totals are expected to reach a foot in parts of the Florida Panhandle and southern Appalachians.
Anonymous 
Tropical Storm Helene quickly formed on Wednesday morning as it heads towards Florida, becoming the strongest hurricane to hit the United States in nearly a year.
As the storm intensifies, it will grow into a massive force that will impact not only Florida but also much of the Southeast.
Time is running out for people in the United States to get ready. Thousands of Floridians have already been forced to evacuate coastal areas, and almost the entire state is under tropical storm warnings as Helene threatens to bring heavy rains, destructive winds, and a life-threatening storm surge.
Helene is expected to make landfall on Florida's Gulf Coast late Thursday, likely in the Big Bend region, and could become the largest hurricane to hit the United States in nearly a year. Helene, which was just 4 mph shy of becoming a hurricane on Wednesday morning, would be the fourth hurricane to make landfall in the United States this year and the fifth to strike Florida since 2022.
The storm emerged Tuesday morning in the northern Caribbean Sea and is rapidly intensifying. Helene may swiftly intensify from a 45-mph tropical storm to a Category 3 major hurricane in 48 hours as it moves over the Gulf of Mexico's exceptionally warm waters. Helene's maximum sustained winds had grown to 70 mph with greater gusts by 8 a.m. ET, according to the center.
A flood warning has been issued for more than 20 million people from Florida to the southern Appalachians, with tornadoes possible through Friday throughout the area.
The Big Bend region is most vulnerable to storm surge, which may reach 15 feet.
"If you're a godly person, pray, because I don't really need this," Port Richey homeowner Rick Way told CNN affiliate WFTS of the possible flooding Helene might produce. "Neither do any of us."
Helene arrives when Florida's Big Bend area is still recuperating from numerous previous storms. Hurricane Debby blasted into the area in early August as a Category 1 hurricane, and rehabilitation work are still underway as the country prepares for another blow. Idalia, the last Category 3 hurricane to make landfall in the United States, hit the Big Bend area in August of last year, causing a record-breaking storm surge from Tampa to the Big Bend.
Related: Is Tropical Storm Francine expected to strengthen into a hurricane before hitting Louisiana?
You see how close we are to the ocean," Way told WFTS. "Other neighbors across the street and elsewhere on the block received a foot to three feet of water. It didn't matter whether it was three feet or six inches. It still got us."
The National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane warning for areas of Florida's Gulf Coast, from the Anclote River to Mexico Beach, at 11 p.m. ET. The Mexican government has also issued a hurricane warning for Cabo Catoche and Tulum.
Evacuations started Tuesday for several coastal regions in Florida because of a potentially deadly storm surge. Officials have ordered mandatory evacuations in at least nine counties, including Citrus, Hillsborough, Charlotte, Gulf, Manatee, and Pinellas.
The sheriff's office in Taylor County, just southeast of Tallahassee, issued a mandatory evacuation order for all residents Tuesday evening and imposed a dawn to sunset curfew, according to a statement. "This system will be unlike anything we have experienced to date," the sheriff's office said. Mandatory evacuations have also been issued for all of Franklin and Wakulla counties.
The greater Southeast is also prepared for possibly significant and devastating repercussions. Torrential rain, powerful gusts with potential to cause substantial power disruptions, and the possibility of tornadoes will extend over.
When the storm hits south Georgia early Friday, it is expected to still be a hurricane.
From Wednesday to Friday, parts of the Southeast, southern Appalachians, and Tennessee Valley are predicted to experience significant and potentially deadly flash and urban flooding. There is also a chance of landslides in the southern Appalachians. Mild to moderate river flooding is expected across a wide area, with some isolated areas experiencing severe river flooding.
Related: Why do hurricanes strike the east coast of Canada and the United States but not the West coast?
The National Hurricane Center has also warned that the storm's path may change in the next few days, affecting where its strongest impacts will be felt.
Florida residents are preparing for Helene after recovering from Idalia and Ian.
Just over a year ago, Hurricane Idalia caused extensive damage to several homes in Florida. Now, those homeowners are bracing for another potentially destructive storm.
"If you don't do something, you're going to get it," Howard Rabe told CNN station WFTS. "We've been through a lot of these in all the years we've been here."
His house in Port Richey is located in the same neighborhood that flooded after Idalia in August. To protect his property from Helene, Rabe installed storm shutters and flood barriers on Tuesday.
In Sanibel, a couple who met during Hurricane Ian in 2022 and nearly lost everything is now getting ready to face Hurricane Helene together, according to CNN affiliate WINK.
Before Ian, Michele Vikartofsky and Larry Leventhal were strangers.
"We both were insane individuals who remained. We were neighbors. We hadn't met. We simply met after the storm, spent two days strolling around afterward, and now this has occurred.
The couple said they are much less worried this time.
"After experiencing Ian, it's like you can get through anything," Vikartofsky added.
"Ian was destructive. Ian taught us all a lesson that we never thought would happen here. We usually expect storm surge, but it never happened like Ian did. So yes, we've learned to be more vigilant and cautious," Vikartofsky said.
Vikartofsky told WINK that in a group chat with their neighbors, the couple talks about what they would do with their cars and transportation if there is severe flooding in their area.
Related: How do you predict if a hurricane is coming?
Another family in Manatee County is still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Debby in August.
"Overwhelmed. It's just too much for us. We're 84. At this age, it's hard to cope," Ron Booher told CNN affiliate WFTV.
In Gulf County, one resident and business owner said she is preparing for the worst.
Florida and Georgia governors declare emergencies
On Tuesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis extended an emergency declaration to 61 of the state's 67 counties due to the prospect of greater inland damage. The proclamation facilitates preparations and cooperation between state and municipal administrations before to the storm's arrival.
At least 3,000 soldiers of the Florida National Guard are ready to help with disaster relief operations, and the Florida State Guard has been mobilized, DeSantis said at a press conference Tuesday. DeSantis also said that the state has "hundreds of Starlinks" to deploy in the event that internet service is disrupted.
The storm's massive size and strength may cause up to 8 feet of surge in the Tampa region and feet of surge farther south. With little time to prepare, Tampa General Hospital started installing a 10-foot-high flood barrier around the institution on Monday due to the storm surge danger.
This storm is much larger than Idalia and Eta, and for Idalia, portions of our county had over 4 feet of storm surge and over 1,500 homes were flooded, Pinellas County disaster management director Cathie Perkins said at a press conference on Tuesday. If you experienced flooding for Eta and Idalia and the Christmas storm we had, you're most likely going to have flooding in your area again.
The repeated hits have driven Florida's insurance industry to the verge, with insurers withdrawing from the state owing to the rising danger of catastrophic weather caused by climate change.
According to Mayor Kenneth Welch, a mandatory evacuation order has been issued for all residential health care institutions along the shore of St. Petersburg, Florida, as residents prepare for Hurricane Helene, with further evacuation orders likely as the storm approaches.
This is a powerful storm, and the time to prepare is now," Welch said at a press conference. The mayor also recommended that locals limit their water consumption in the coming days to help prepare for storm surges of up to 5 to 8 feet in the region.
Several school districts along Florida's Gulf Coast, including Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Sarasota counties, have declared closures ahead of the storm's arrival. Several state colleges have also declared shutdown.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has also issued a state of emergency owing to the storm's projected effect later this week.
"As we watch Tropical Storm Helene's route and possible effect, I have declared a State of disaster, allowing disaster management personnel to plan for and divert resources well ahead of the storm's arrival. "Be vigilant and stay safe," Kemp said on X.
Georgia authorities have urged citizens to prepare for a wind event that will impact all 159 counties in the state.
"The old saying in emergency response is - you run from water, you hide from wind," Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency Director James Stallings said in a news conference Tuesday. He added that people should make sure their emergency supplies will keep them safe for up to 72 hours if power or water goes.
Tropical storm-force winds and torrential rains are expected in the Southeast starting mid-week. Wind gusts may start in the Florida Keys and sweep northward, hitting most of the Peninsula by Thursday morning. The strongest wind and rain may strike the Tampa region, with landfall forecasted southeast of Tallahassee late Thursday.
Heavy rainfall is expected, with the most intense falling Thursday night and Friday early. The Weather Prediction Center has issued a level 3 of 4 danger of flooding rain for regions of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and the Carolinas. Rainfall totals are expected to reach a foot in parts of the Florida Panhandle and southern Appalachians.