Helene reached Category 1 hurricane status as of 11 a.m. Wednesday, with one weather forecast predicting it could become a catastrophic Category 4 storm as it intensifies in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
Forecasters expect it to slam into Florida in the Big Bend area as a major hurricane, with a life-threatening storm surge possible the length of the state’s west coast.
AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter said Helene could strengthen to a Category 4 hurricane before making landfall along the Florida Gulf coast with maximum sustained winds of 130-156 miles per hour.
“The impacts from Helene will be widespread — not just confined to locations near landfall in the Florida Panhandle. The storm surge will be life-threatening across the Florida Panhandle and southward to near Tampa. Destructive wind gusts could badly damage or even destroy homes and businesses. Countless trees will likely come down in this storm not just across the Florida Panhandle but also inland through Georgia and even into western South and North Carolina leading to extended power outages,” Porter warned.
The storm had 80 mph winds as of 11 a.m., according to the National Hurricane Center. Category 1 hurricanes have sustained winds of 74 mph. Helene’s maximum sustained winds are forecast to increase by at least 35 mph, if not more, in less than 24 hours.
“There is still some uncertainty on exactly how strong Helene will get, and upward adjustments to the forecast intensity could be required in subsequent advisories if Helene rapidly intensifies more than forecast,” NOAA officials said. “Regardless, Helene is forecast to be a large major hurricane when it reaches the Big Bend coast of Florida.”
Mandatory evacuation orders are in place for part or all of at least 12 coastal counties in Florida. Parts of Sarasota and Pinellas counties were placed under evacuation orders Wednesday.