Helene to rapidly strengthen, conditions deteriorate across Florida

Helene is about to become a hurricane and the next 24 hours are for rapid intensification. Landfall in Florida is forecast for Thursday night.

Today is the last day to finish your preparations if you are in Florida. Weather conditions will quickly start to deteriorate as Helene strengthens and moves over the eastern Gulf of Mexico, passing less than 300 miles west of Naples by Thursday morning and less than 200 miles west of the Tampa Bay area during Thursday afternoon. Landfall is forecast to be just east of Carrabelle in the Florida Panhandle and once inland it should be coming just west of Tallahassee late Thursday night.

Impacts to Florida will start late this evening. Rain bands will move from south to north but once Helene is parallel to Florida, over the Gulf the gusty rain bands will generally move from west to east. Helene's first rain bands have already arrived to South Florida and are approching Central Florida mid-morning. This is a large and growing larger storm that will also expand its widn field, mostly to the east.

Tropical storm force winds will be felt across much of the western half of Florida. The southeastern portion will experience strong gusts at times and windy conditions starting today through early Friday. The worse for South Florida will be on Thursday with periods of heavy rains that could cause flooding and winds. Across Central Florida, stronger winds are expected and the heaviest rain will start late Wednesday evening, with Thursday being the most intense day. Tornadoes are also possible embedded in passing rain bands.

Storm surge will be a big issue for Florida's west coast. The Big Bend is forecast to experience between 10 and 15 feet, from Ochlockonee Rover to Indian Pass 5 to 10 feet of surge is probable and across the Central west coast of Florida between 5 and 8 feet, while Southwest Florida could receive between 3 and 5 feet of surge. The Keys could also get storm surge, but with the storm being the farthest from them inundation levels could rise up to 3 feet.

You can track Helene's rain bands using the WeatherRadar as it moves closer to Florida. The WindRadar is a great tool to estimate how fast the winds will be in your area, even if you are well away from the center. We have a full staff of meteorologists working on all aspects of this storm. Remember that impacts will go well beyond the cone. Make sure to keep your devices charged and your alerts on.

**Este pronóstico está en español también en tiempoyradar.com escrito por nuestra meteoróloga Irene Sans**