Hurricane Warnings Issued in Florida

Tropical Storm Helene Intensifies at Worrying Rate in the Caribbean; to Strengthen into a Hurricane for the U.S. The storm created evacuations, school closings, and emergency declarations declared in both Florida and Georgia even before it moved north.

Helene continued its intensification Tuesday morning over the northwestern Caribbean Sea. After intensification, it is expected to rapidly build overnight. Tropic projection by National Hurricane Center indicates Helene to intensify over the warm waters of the Gulf from a tropical storm of 45mph to Category 3 hurricane.

This advisory issued at 11 p.m. ET by the National Hurricane Center places a hurricane warning for that area along Florida’s Gulf Coast from Anclote River to Mexico Beach. Another hurricane warning was issued due to the hurricane for Cabo Catoche to Tulum by the government of Mexico.

Florida Begins Evacuations Ahead of Major Hurricane Helene

The accelerated timeline of Helene is unprecedented, forcing Floridians to prepare for damaging winds, heavy rains, and life-altering storm surges. The National Hurricane Center may adjust forecasts to indicate which areas could face the worst damage in the coming days.

The Southeast region must also make preparations. Helene is expected to be extraordinarily large and powerful, affecting areas well beyond Florida.

Intense rainfall, strong winds that could lead to considerable power outages, and the risk of tornadoes will extend into this region.

Evacuations were begun on Tuesday for some coastal parts of Florida under the menace of destructive storm surges. Authorities issued evacuation orders in parts of at least seven counties, with them being Pinellas, Hernando, Charlotte, Gulf, Manatee, and Sarasota.

Mandatory evacuations are currently in effect for all areas in Franklin, Wakulla, and Taylor counties.

The most recent hurricane to strike the United States as a Category 3 was Idalia, which made landfall in the Big Bend region and produced an unprecedented storm surge extending from Tampa to the Big Bend in August of the previous year.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis expanded the emergency declaration to 61 counties on Tuesday in preparation for the storm’s inland impacts. This declaration will allow for the quick reorganization and coordination of state and local authorities ahead of the landfall of the storm.

Gov. DeSantis mobilized 3,000 Florida National Guard members and activated the Florida State Guard to respond to the storm. He also stated that the state can activate “hundreds of Starlinks” if internet connectivity goes down.

Florida and Georgia begin preparations

Meteorologists expect Helene to make landfall in the Big Bend region, with a storm surge potentially reaching up to 15 feet.

The considerable size and strength of the storm may also result in a surge of up to 8 feet in the broader Tampa area, along with several feet of surge in locations further south. With limited time for preparation, Tampa General Hospital commenced the construction of a 10-foot-high flood barrier around its premises on Monday in response to the threat of storm surge.

Pinellas County authorities warn many homes are at risk of flooding from a storm surge surpassing previous severe storms.

“This storm is significantly larger than Idalia and Eta. Cathie Perkins reported that a 4-foot storm surge during Idalia flooded over 1,500 homes in parts of Pinellas County.

“If you faced flooding during Eta, Idalia, or the Christmas storm, your area will likely flood again.”

Mayor Kenneth Welch issued a mandatory evacuation for all coastal health care facilities in St. Petersburg ahead of Hurricane Helene. Officials anticipate issuing additional evacuation orders as the storm approaches.

“This is a formidable storm, and the time to take action is now,” Welch remarked during a press conference.The mayor asked residents to conserve water as the storm surge is expected to be about 5 to 8 feet.

Georgia’s Governor, Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency, since the storm was to land fall late this week.
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Regarding the Tropical Storm Helene, we shall see whether it will actually reach our locality. I declare a State of Emergency to allow emergency management teams to prepare and preposition resources ahead of the storm. It is crucial to remain alert and prioritize safety, Kemp stated on X.

Officials forecast a similar wind event throughout the 159 counties in Georgia, and call on residents to prepare for the storm.

James Stallings emphasized the top rule in emergency management: avoid the path of both water and wind during storms.They are also advised to leave and take enough supplies in place of any power/water outage for at least 72 hours.

Forecasters expect tropical-storm-force winds to make landfall in Florida on Wednesday, with gusts anticipated in the Florida Keys by afternoon. These winds will rapidly spread northward, impacting much of the Peninsula before dawn on Thursday. Meteorologists anticipate hurricane-force wind gusts will follow closely for numerous coastal regions.

In the Tampa area, severe winds and rainfall may begin late Wednesday night and persist until Thursday evening, potentially reaching hurricane-force.

The forecast projects that landfall will occur southeast of Tallahassee late Thursday, giving the region additional time to prepare. However, forecasters expect the most adverse conditions to impact Tallahassee earlier and continue throughout the day.

Forecasters expect widespread rainfall of 4 to 8 inches from Florida’s Gulf Coast into parts of Tennessee, the Carolinas, and Virginia. In some areas of the Florida Panhandle and the southern Appalachians, totals may reach nearly a foot. Forecasters expect most rainfall by Friday along the Gulf Coast, with a wetter weekend anticipated further north in the region.

The precipitation comes from a slow-moving cold front, fueled by significant tropical moisture from Hurricane Helene.

This phenomenon, known as a predecessor rain event, features heavy rainfall occurring hundreds of miles from a tropical cyclone.

These events often cause significant flash flooding, prompting warnings for potential mudslides and landslides in the southern Appalachians.

Forecasts expect rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches from Wednesday to Thursday across northern Alabama, Georgia, and eastern Tennessee. This will impact western regions of the Carolinas before Hurricane Helene makes landfall in Florida.

Officials have declared a flood watch for over 20 million individuals from Florida to the southern Appalachian region.

See the latest spaghetti models and maps here

Helene Marks is Florida’s 5th hurricane since 2022

Florida’s Big Bend region, still recovering from August’s Category 1 Hurricane Debby, now braces for another potential hurricane impact.

Last month, Hurricane Idalia rapidly intensified in the warm Gulf of Mexico, gaining 55 mph in sustained winds within one day.

Hurricane Helene could become the fourth US landfall this year and the fifth hurricane to hit Florida since 2022.

The frequent storms have strained Florida’s insurance market. Due to significant climate change risks, many insurers in Florida have chosen to withdraw from the market.