Florida Evacuations Underway In Anticipation Of Cat 3 Hurricane Helene

Floridians along the Gulf of Mexico are preparing for the rapid arrival of Hurricane Helene, which is forecast to strengthen into a Category 3 before making U.S. landfall on Thursday.

The tropical storm formed in the Caribbean on Tuesday, with 50 mph winds and posing little immediate threat to nearby islands Jamaica and Cuba, according to the National Hurricane Center's 5 p.m. EDT Tuesday update.

However, the system is forecast to undergo massive intensification over the next 48 hours, skirting Cancun, Mexico before heading north to Florida's "Big Bend" region. Storm surge as high as 10 to 15 feet is possible for much of Florida's west coast, while 5 to 8 feet is forecast from Key West to Tampa, Fla.

"This could be the storm that the 2024 hurricane season is remembered for," AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter told USA Today.

Fueled by the warm waters of the Gulf, the wind speed is expected to peak at approximately 115 mph by Thursday evening, when it is projected to make landfall near Apalachicola Bay. The low-lying area is particularly prone to storm surge and has been badly hammered in recent years, including Idalia in 2023 and Tropical Storm Debby last month.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued hurricane warnings and evacuation orders on Tuesday for residents along the projected path of the storm. Helene is forecast to continue its northern trek into Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina, weakening after making landfall but bringing heavy rains, winds, flooding and power outages that come with it.