Tropical Storm Helene formed Tuesday in the Caribbean Sea and could strengthen into a major hurricane while moving north toward the U.S., forecasters said.
Heavy rains and big waves already lashed the Cayman Islands, and some Florida residents began to evacuate or fill sandbags ahead of anticipated flooding. Helene was expected to strengthen into a hurricane on Wednesday, and it could become a major hurricane before it arrives on Florida's Gulf Coast as soon as late Thursday. The storm was 150 miles (240 kilometers) south of the western tip of Cuba, had sustained winds of 50 mph (85 kph) and was moving northwest at 12 mph (19 kph).
As the storm approached the Gulf Coast, hurricane warnings were issued for the northwestern Florida coastline and part of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, and hurricane watches were in effect for parts of western Cuba and Florida, including Tampa Bay, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.
Parts of Cuba and Florida's southwestern coastline, including the Florida Keys, were under tropical storm warnings. Nearly the entirety of Florida's west coast was under a storm surge warning. In the U.
S., federal authorities are positioning generators, food and water, along with search-and-rescue and power restoration teams, as President Joe Biden declared an emergency in Florida. Gov.
Ron DeSantis also declared a state of emergency for most of the state's counties, 10 of which were urging or ordering evacuations. The storm is expected to move over deep, warm water.