TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Tropical Storm Helene formed in the Caribbean on Tuesday, the National Hurricane Center said.
Helene’s winds are at 60 mph and are expected to rapidly intensify ahead of landfall, according to the NHC.
LIVE: Tropical Storm Helene real-time wobble tracker
As of the 11 p.m. update, the tropical storm was located about 145 miles away from the western tip of Cuba. It was moving west-northwest at 10 mph.
Helene is expected to move across the northwestern Caribbean Sea overnight and move into the eastern Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday and Thursday. It is expected to make landfall in the Big Bend region of Florida.
“The new forecast calls for major hurricane category three strength by Thursday morning,” Max Defender 8 Meteorologist Amanda Holly said. “The forecast cone did shift slightly west and no longer includes the Tampa Bay coastline, but the NHC urges caution that track shifts east or west are still possible as Helene continues to organize.”