TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Helene became a hurricane Wednesday after the huge storm rapidly strengthened in the Caribbean Sea and moved north along Mexico’s coast on a path toward the U.S.
, leading residents to evacuate, schools to close, and officials to declare emergencies in Florida and Georgia. The storm’s center was near Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula on Wednesday, the U.S.
National Hurricane Center said, and it was expected as it crosses the Gulf of Mexico. Heavy rainfall was forecast for the southeastern U.S.
starting Wednesday, with a life-threatening storm surge along the entire west coast of Florida, according to the center. The storm is so large that areas roughly 90 miles (145 kilometers) north of the Georgia-Florida line could expect hurricane conditions. States as far inland as Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana could see rainfall.
On Wednesday morning, winds of tropical storm force, at least 39 mph (62 kph), extended as far as 275 miles (445 kilometers) from Helene’s center. “You are going to have a major hurricane plowing inland, and storms take a little time to decay once they’re inland,” said Brian McNoldy, an environmental researcher at the University of Miami. Forecasters warned of possible tornadoes Wednesday night in western Florida and southern Alabama and said the tornado risk would increase Thursday, expanding across Florida and into Georgia and South Carolina.
Helene is expected to become a major hurricane — a Category 3 or higher, with wind.
