Tropical Storm Helene has officially been declared a hurricane and is forecast to intensify to category four before it hits Florida today (Thursday).
Category four hurricanes can cause ‘catastrophic damage’, with winds of between 130-156mph. Helene is forecast to make landfall near the Big Bend region, in north Florida, which includes state capital Tallahassee. A storm warning has been issued for areas including the Florida Keys and most of Florida’s west coast.
The National Hurricane Center has warned of a ‘life threatening situation’, with storm surges of at least 9ft, and up to 20ft forecast in the Big Bend region, which will see the worst of the storm surge.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency. Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey said the storm could cause ‘unprecedented damage’, and the National Weather Service (NWS) warned storm surges in in some areas of the capital would be ‘catastrophic’.
The NWS said there is also a risk of flooding in Cuba and the western Caribbean: “Helene will bring heavy rain to portions of the western Caribbean with potentially significant flooding across western Cuba and the northeastern Yucatan Peninsula. Considerable and potentially life-threatening flash and urban flooding is expected across portions of Florida, the southeast, the Southern Appalachians and the Tennessee Valley beginning today through Friday, it said.”
Helene had originally been forecast to become a category three hurricane by the time it made landfall in Florida, after hitting Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.
The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) has updated its advice for Mexico to say: “Tropical storm Helene is now at Hurricane strength.”
It said hurricane watch and tropical storm warnings are in place for the north of the Yucatan Peninsula.
“Hurricane Helene continues to affect Quintana Roo (North, centre and southwest) and Yucatan (northeast, and southwest). Local authorities have set a red alert in Quintana Roo (Puerto Morelos, Lázaro Cárdenas, Cozumel and Isla Mujeres),” the FCDO added.
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Category four hurricanes can cause ‘catastrophic damage’, with winds of between 130-156mph. Helene is forecast to make landfall near the Big Bend region, in north Florida, which includes state capital Tallahassee. A storm warning has been issued for areas including the Florida Keys and most of Florida’s west coast.
The National Hurricane Center has warned of a ‘life threatening situation’, with storm surges of at least 9ft, and up to 20ft forecast in the Big Bend region, which will see the worst of the storm surge.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency. Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey said the storm could cause ‘unprecedented damage’, and the National Weather Service (NWS) warned storm surges in in some areas of the capital would be ‘catastrophic’.
The NWS said there is also a risk of flooding in Cuba and the western Caribbean: “Helene will bring heavy rain to portions of the western Caribbean with potentially significant flooding across western Cuba and the northeastern Yucatan Peninsula. Considerable and potentially life-threatening flash and urban flooding is expected across portions of Florida, the southeast, the Southern Appalachians and the Tennessee Valley beginning today through Friday, it said.”
Helene had originally been forecast to become a category three hurricane by the time it made landfall in Florida, after hitting Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.
The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) has updated its advice for Mexico to say: “Tropical storm Helene is now at Hurricane strength.”
It said hurricane watch and tropical storm warnings are in place for the north of the Yucatan Peninsula.
“Hurricane Helene continues to affect Quintana Roo (North, centre and southwest) and Yucatan (northeast, and southwest). Local authorities have set a red alert in Quintana Roo (Puerto Morelos, Lázaro Cárdenas, Cozumel and Isla Mujeres),” the FCDO added.
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