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Tropical Storm Helene Just Formed. In Just Over 48 Hours It Could Hit Florida As A Major Hurricane
Time is running out for Floridians in the path of Hurricane Helene, which is expected to be the biggest hurricane to reach the United States in more than a year.
Tropical Storm Helene emerged in the northwestern Caribbean Sea on Tuesday morning and is expected to strengthen rapidly. Helene could rapidly 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.
This extended schedule means that Floridians must prepare for catastrophic winds, torrential rainfall, and potentially deadly storm surges. The National Hurricane Centre also cautioned that Helene’s route could fluctuate in the following days, affecting where her worst consequences will occur.
The Southeast should also prepare. Helene will also be quite massive and powerful, affecting an area much beyond Florida. Torrential rain, powerful gusts capable of causing substantial power disruptions, and the possibility of tornadoes will extend over the region.
Evacuations are expected for Florida’s coastal areas on Tuesday due to a possibly deadly storm surge. Taylor County, in Florida’s Big Bend region, is expected to issue a countywide evacuation order later Tuesday, according to a sheriff’s office social media post.
Tropical Storm Helene Just Formed. In Just Over 48 Hours It Could Hit Florida As A Major Hurricane
The Big Bend area is where Helene is expected to make landfall, and it confronts the most severe storm surge: up to 15 feet is likely. The storm’s massive size and intensity could cause up to 8 feet of surge in the Tampa area and several feet of surge further south.
With little time to prepare, Tampa General Hospital began installing a 10-foot-high flood barrier around the institution on Monday due to the storm surge risk.
On Tuesday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis increased an emergency declaration from 41 to 61 of the state’s 67 counties due to the prospect of greater inland consequences. The proclamation facilitates preparations and coordination between state and municipal administrations before the storm’s arrival.
At least 3,000 soldiers of the Florida National Guard are ready to help with storm relief efforts and the Florida State Guard has been mobilized, DeSantis said at a press conference Tuesday. DeSantis also stated that the state has “hundreds of Starlinks” to deploy if internet service is lost.
Tropical storm-force wind gusts could hit the Florida Keys as early as Wednesday afternoon and sweep northward, hitting most of the Peninsula by Thursday morning at the latest. Hurricane-force wind gusts may follow quickly behind for many coastal regions. The greatest wind and rain in the Tampa area might begin late Wednesday night. According to the National Weather Service near Tampa Bay, the storm will last until Thursday evening, with hurricane-force gusts possible.
The Tallahassee area will have a few extra hours to prepare. Landfall is forecast southeast of Tallahassee late Thursday, but the worst conditions will hit the city earlier and persist all day.
Tropical storm-force winds will spread across the Southeast by Thursday evening, potentially bringing down trees and causing extensive power outages.
Much of the Southeast may have heavy rainfall beginning around midweek, with the most intense rain falling Thursday night and Friday morning. The Weather Prediction Centre has issued a level 3 of 4 risk of flooding rain for regions of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and the Carolinas on Thursday.
Rainfall totals of 4 to 8 inches are forecast throughout Florida’s Gulf Coast and in sections of Tennessee, the Carolinas, and Virginia. Totals might reach a foot in portions of the Florida Panhandle and the southern Appalachians. Much of this rain will fall by Friday along the Gulf Coast, but it will be a rainy weekend further north.
Tropical Storm Helene Just Formed. In Just Over 48 Hours It Could Hit Florida As A Major Hurricane
Florida’s Big Bend region appears to be a magnet for hurricanes lately. Hurricane Debby blasted into the region in early August as a Category 1, and rehabilitation work are still underway as the country prepares for another blow.
Idalia saw quick intensification over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, with sustained winds climbing by 55 mph over 24 hours.
Helene would be the fourth hurricane to make landfall in the United States this year, and the fifth to hit Florida since 2022.
The repeated hits have driven Florida’s insurance industry to the verge, with insurers withdrawing from the state due to the rising danger of catastrophic weather caused by climate change.
SOURCE | CNN
