Sept. 25 (UPI) — Tropical Storm Helene is expected to strengthen rapidly Tuesday night as it travels over the Gulf of Mexico, according to forecasters who say it should hit Florida late Thursday.
According to a 10 p.m. update from the National Hurricane Center, the tropical storm was about 100 miles east-southeast of Cozumel, Mexico, and about 140 miles south-southwest of the western tip of Cuba.
It had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph and was moving west-northwest at 10 mph.
The storm is forecast to “strengthen rapidly over the Gulf of Mexico” and grow to “a large size.”
“Helene is forecast to intensify and be near hurricane strength when it passes near the northeastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula on Wednesday,” the NHC said.
A turn toward the northwest is expected later Tuesday night. On Wednesday and continuing until Friday, it is forecast to move in a general northward direction.
“The center of Helene will pass near the northeastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula later tonight or early Wednesday, move across the eastern Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday and Thursday and reach the Big Bend coast of Florida late Thursday,” it said.