Hurricane Helene is strengthening and storm surge along Florida's Gulf Coast could be destructive over the next 36 hours as it approaches the Panhandle and Big Bend region.

Storm surge is a quick rise in water level pushed forward by a hurricane as it moves forward. The eastern quadrant of a hurricane produces the highest surge as the high winds moving counterclockwise around a hurricane’s central eye, as seen on the WindRadar, build up to monstrous proportions.

The surge associated with Hurricane Helene will be a double whammy. Helene is a rapidly intensifying hurricane as it moves into the southern Gulf of Mexico and move northeastward along the Florida Gulf Coast on Wednesday and Thursday before it makes landfall along the Big Bend late Thursday. The increasing winds will push the water surge higher while the hurricane’s forward motion contributes an additional push of water ashore.

If you live in the affected area, turn on your alerts to get the latest Hurricane Helene alerts about wind, rainfall and storms surge as it threatens the Gulf Coast.

Current storm surge forecasts range from several feet in southwestern Florida, 5 to 10 feet along central Florida's Gulf Coast including St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Tampa. This could inundating causeways and parts of downtown Tampa. Up the coast, a destructive surge of 10 to 15 feet is possible around the Big Bend area. Remember, this doesn’t include battering waves that accompany the surge.

If this forecast holds true, catastrophic destruction of gulf and bayfront property is likely.

Weather & Radar forecasters, including on-the-ground reporting from our reporter Jonathan Petramala, will be providing up to the minute coverage as Helene threatens the Gulf Coast.