Tropical Storm Helene formed Tuesday near Cuba and is expected to strengthen into a major Category 3 hurricane before making landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region on Thursday.
In its 11 p.m. update, the National Hurricane Center placed Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River and Okeechobee counties under a tropical storm warning.
“It just means it’s getting a little closer number one, and still a bit more confident we are going to see tropical force conditions,” WPTV First Alert Weather meteorologist James Wieland said.
The system now has maximum sustained winds of 60 mph and is moving to the west-northwest at 10 mph.
TRACKING THE TROPICS: Hurricane Center | Hurricane Guide
By Wednesday, Helene will work its way into the southern Gulf of Mexico and strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane with winds of 74 mph.
Then as it works its way toward the north and across very warm Gulf waters, it’s expected to rapidly intensify into a major Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph.