Tropical Storm Helene, which formed in the Caribbean Sea, is currently intensifying and is predicted to develop into a major hurricane as it approaches the Florida Gulf Coast by Thursday. The National Hurricane Center has issued warnings regarding the potential impact of the storm as it strengthens. By Tuesday evening, the Florida Division of Emergency Management had put mandatory and voluntary evacuation orders in place for 13 counties in Florida. Notably, six counties, including Charlotte, Franklin, Gulf, Manatee, Pinellas, and Wakulla, were under mandatory evacuation orders due to the imminent threat posed by Helene.

As the state of Florida braces for the storm, airlines such as United Airlines, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, and Frontier have initiated travel alerts to assist affected passengers. These alerts allow travelers to adjust their plans without incurring change fees. Forecasters have highlighted the extensive reach of Helene's impacts, emphasizing the large wind field and heavy rainfall that could result in landslides across the southern Appalachians. The National Hurricane Center emphasized the risk of life-threatening storm surges along the entirety of the west coast of the Florida Peninsula and Florida Big Bend, with the highest levels of inundation expected along the coast of the Florida Big Bend.

Helene marks the eighth named tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, following closely after Francine's recent Category 2 landfall in Louisiana on September 11. Although the season was predicted to be exceptionally active, with up to 25 named storms and 13 hurricanes forecasted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the actual activity has not matched these predictions thus far. With Helene expected to escalate into a major hurricane as it nears Florida, residents are urged to stay informed, adhere to guidance from local officials, and evacuate promptly if instructed to do so for their safety.