Tropical Storm Helene was rapidly strengthening in the Caribbean Sea and expected to become a hurricane Wednesday while moving north along Mexico's coast toward the U.S., prompting residents to evacuate, schools to close and officials to declare emergencies in Florida and Georgia.
Associated PressTropical Storm Helene was rapidly strengthening in the Caribbean Sea and expected to become a hurricane Wednesday while moving north along Mexico's coast toward the U.S., prompting residents to evacuate, schools to close and officials to declare emergencies in Florida and Georgia.
This National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellite image taken at 6:10pm ET shows Tropical Storm Helene off the Gulf Coast of Florida near Mexico and Cuba on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. The storm is forecast to be “near hurricane strength” when it passes near Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula early Wednesday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said, andas it moves north across the Gulf of Mexico. Heavy rainfall was forecast for the southeastern U.S. starting Wednesday, with a “life-threatening storm surge” along the entire west coast of Florida, according to the center. Helene is expected to become a major hurricane — a Category 3 or higher — on Thursday, the day it's set to reach Florida's Gulf Coast, according to the hurricane center. The center has issued hurricane warnings for part of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and Florida's northwestern coastline, where large storm surges of up to 15 feet were expected. In Mexico Beach, along the Gulf Coast in Florida’s Panhandle, Hal Summers said he’s taking no chances, and is heading inland to stay with a friend., a Category 5 hurricane, that struck Mexico Beach in 2018. That storm rapidly intensified and caught residents off guard before plowing a destructive path across the western Florida Panhandle. He recalled wading through rising water with his cat in his arms to get to safety. His home was destroyed. “That was such a traumatic experience that that is not the place I needed to be for myself,” Summers said.battering its other coast. John hit the country's southern Pacific coast late Monday, killing two people, blowing tin roofs off houses, triggering mudslides and toppling scores of trees, officials said Tuesday.in a matter of hours Monday and made landfall about 80 miles east of the resort of Acapulco, near the town of Punta Maldonado, with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph before weakening to a tropical storm after moving inland. Helene, which formed Tuesday in the Caribbean, is expected to move over deep, warm waters, fueling its intensification. People in regions under hurricane warnings and watches should be prepared to lose power and should have enough food and water for at least three days, forecasters warned. Early Wednesday, Helene was located about 45 miles east-northeast of Cozumel, Mexico, and about 120 miles southwest of the western tip of Cuba as it moved northwest at 9 mph . Tropical storm warnings were in effect for the upper Florida Keys, the southern Florida Peninsula and the northeast coast of Florida early Wednesday. A tropical storm watch was in effect for the South Carolina coast north of the Savannah River to the South Santee River. Hurricane watches — which are a step down from warnings — were also in effect for parts of western Cuba and Florida, including the Tampa Bay area, the hurricane center said. “It’s going to be a very large system with impacts across all of Florida,” said Larry Kelly, a specialist at the hurricane center. Several counties on Florida's west and northwestern coasts have issued evacuation orders. Multiple school districts, including in the areas around Tampa and the state capital Tallahassee, plan to close schools or reduce hours starting Wednesday. Some residents started filling sandbags ahead of anticipated flooding and began leaving areas on the coast. President Joe Biden declared an emergency in Florida and deployed Federal Emergency Management Agency teams to Florida and Alabama to support local first responders. Federal authorities were positioning generators, food and water, along with search-and-rescue and power restoration teams, the White House said. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also issued an emergency for most of the state's counties, while Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp declared an emergency in his state as well.wind and rain will likely extend far from the storm’s center, the hurricane center said. States as far inland as Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana could see rainfall. Heavy rains and big waves lashed the Cayman Islands on Tuesday. Officials there closed schools, airports and government offices as strong winds knocked out power in some areas of Grand Cayman, while heavy rain and waves as high as 10 feet unleashed flooding. Authorities urged people to stay indoors as the storm moved away later Tuesday and said crews would fan out to assess damage. Many in Cuba also worried about the storm, whose tentacles are expected to reach the capital of Havana, which is struggling with a severe water shortage, piles of uncollected garbage and Helene is the eighth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which began June 1. Since 2000, eight major hurricanes have made landfall in Florida, according to Philip Klotzbach, a Colorado State University hurricane researcher. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted an above-average Atlantic hurricane season this year . It forecast 17 to 25 named storms before the season ends Nov. 30, with four to seven major hurricanes of Category 3 or higher.
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Tropical depression outside PAR now a tropical storm named BebincaTropical Storm Bebinca is located 2,105 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas at 10 pm on Tuesday, September 10
Read more »
Trough of tropical storm outside PAR, habagat to bring scattered rains over the countryLatest Philippine news from GMA News and 24 Oras. News, weather updates and livestreaming on Philippine politics, regions, showbiz, lifestyle, science and tech.
Read more »
Tropical depression outside PAR now Tropical Storm Pulasan; LPA, monsoon bring rainThe low pressure area inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility continues to have a high chance of developing into a tropical cyclone within 24 hours, PAGASA says early Monday, September 16
Read more »
Signal No. 1 raised as LPA becomes Tropical Depression GenerTropical Depression Gener is the Philippines' seventh tropical cyclone for 2024
Read more »
Tropical Storm Helen enters PAR ahead of Tropical Depression Gener’s exitBoth Tropical Depression Gener and Tropical Storm Helen (Pulasan) continue to enhance the southwest monsoon, which will still cause moderate to intense rain on Wednesday, September 18
Read more »
Tropical Depression Gener leaves PAR; Tropical Storm Helen stays far from landThe enhanced southwest monsoon will remain the source of rain, with parts of Luzon seeing the heaviest rainfall on Wednesday, September 18
Read more »