If you've been following the forecast, you likely already know that Helene is poised to become a major player this week. However, one factor that could greatly influence its development more than anything else is the Loop Current.

Currently, the Loop Current in the Gulf of Mexico is running at record-high temperatures, between 87 to 89 degrees Fahrenheit, about 3 to 4 degrees above average. This unusually warm water could serve as a powerful fuel source, providing ample energy for Helene to intensify rapidly later this week. See the forecast from our meteorologists.

As Helene moves toward the Gulf, it is forecast to pass directly over the Loop Current—a warm oceanic current that flows from the Caribbean into the Gulf of Mexico and loops around before exiting through the Florida Straits.

These exceptionally warm waters, which extend deep below the surface, resist cooling from storm-induced upwelling. This allows the hurricane to continuously tap into the high ocean heat content, providing crucial energy for its strengthening and potentially triggering rapid intensification.

With the Loop Current supplying enhanced moisture and ideal conditions, Helene has the potential to become a much more formidable hurricane as it progresses.