Hurricane Helene Gains Strength, Florida Prepares for Potential Category 4 Impact

Tropical Storm Helene intensified into a Category 1 hurricane just before noon on Wednesday as it swept across the Gulf of Mexico, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC).

NHC experts anticipate the storm will accelerate as it heads toward the Florida Big Bend coast, with landfall expected by Thursday evening.

Residents of Florida‘s panhandle, including the Tampa Bay area, have been urged by the NHC to take immediate precautions to safeguard their lives and property. Evacuations are being advised, as coastal areas could face storm surges as high as eight feet, accompanied by destructive waves. AccuWeather has warned that Hurricane Helene could escalate further, potentially reaching Category 4 strength.

Tampa International Airport (TIA) will halt operations starting at 2:00 a.m. on Thursday, with three smaller nearby airports—Peter O. Knight, Tampa Executive, and Plant City—also suspending flights. Area schools have announced closures, and the University of Florida plans to return to regular schedules by Friday.

In Pinellas County, which falls within an evacuation zone, medical personnel are relocating patients to safer areas. St. Petersburg’s Mayor Kenneth Welch announced that six emergency shelters have been set up for those in need. Many of the county’s nearly 960,000 residents, according to the latest census data, are preparing by gathering supplies and moving to higher ground away from Helene’s projected path.

On Wednesday, President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency in Florida, authorizing federal aid to bolster local relief efforts as the storm’s impact, which began on Monday, continues.