A state of emergency has been declared in Florida. Evacuations are being ordered due to the increasing strength of Tropical Storm Helene. Residents in the storm's possible path must prepare for up to a week without power.

“Now is the time to develop an emergency plan,” Governor Ron DeSantis said at a press conference on Tuesday.

The storm, which is still forming, could become the strongest hurricane to hit the United States this season. The Weather Channel reports that Helene will likely become a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday.

Helene is forecast to rapidly intensify and make landfall as a Category 3 storm with sustained winds in excess of 111 miles per hour, posing a significant threat to Florida residents.

“Although it is too early to determine the exact location and extent of impacts, the potential for life-threatening storm surge and destructive hurricane-force winds is increasing along the Florida Panhandle and west coast of Florida,” the National Hurricane Center said Monday.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis expanded the state of emergency to 61 counties on Tuesday ahead of the storm. Helene is expected to make landfall near the Big Bend region of the Florida Panhandle, but could change course in the next few days.

In addition to strong winds, the storm threatens millions of Gulf Coast residents with up to 12 inches of rainfall and the possibility of tornadoes.

“In the past, major hurricanes have developed under similar conditions with maximum sustained winds of at least 110 mph,” said AccuWeather meteorologist Alex Duffus.

Where is the path of the storm going?

According to the latest warning from the National Hurricane Center, the storm is located about 205 miles southeast of the western tip of Cuba with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph and moving northwest at 9 mph.

The system is expected to develop into a tropical depression or storm on Tuesday.

“The Tampa Bay region is extremely vulnerable to storm surge. If this storm moves further west, we could see severe storm surge and flooding in Tampa,” predicted Alex DaSilva, senior hurricane expert at AccuWeather.

But meteorologists warned residents from Louisiana to Key West, Florida, to prepare for the storm.

The National Hurricane Center issued hurricane warnings and tropical storm warnings for parts of Mexico and Cuba on Monday as the storm intensifies over the record-warm Gulf of Mexico.

The storm is expected to weaken by Friday as it moves inland across the Southeast, but heavy rain and wind gusts are expected to continue along its path.

How is Florida preparing?

Florida, which has already been hit by Hurricane Debby this season, is bracing for another storm this week. In Leon County, home to Tallahassee, 15 sandbags are available for every household to take home to brace for heavy rain and flooding.

The declaration allows the state to implement its comprehensive emergency management plan and allows the use of resources for all logistics, rescue and evacuation operations.

“Now is the time to make an emergency plan, know your evacuation zone, and be as prepared as possible for the storm,” DeSantis said in a post on X.

Observations and warnings

As of 11:00 a.m. ET on Tuesday, a hurricane warning is in effect for:

• Cabo Catoche to Tulum, Mexico

• Pinar del Río Province, Cuba

• From Englewood to Indian Pass

• Tampa Bay

A “hurricane warning” means that hurricane conditions are possible in the warning areas. It is usually issued 48 hours before the hurricane is expected to arrive.

A storm surge warning applies to:

A “storm surge warning” indicates the possibility of life-threatening flooding, for example when rising water moves inland from the coast.

A tropical storm warning was in effect for:

• Dry Tortugas

• Lower Florida Keys, west of the Seven Mile Bridge

• Grand Cayman

• Rio Lagartos to Tulum, Mexico

• Cuban provinces of Artemisa, Pinar del Rio and the Island of Youth

A “tropical storm warning” is the expectation that tropical storm conditions, such as wind speeds of 39 to 79 mph (63 to 127 km/h), will reach the warning areas within the next 36 hours.

A tropical storm warning was in effect for:

• Central Florida Keys, from the Seven Mile Bridge to the Channel 5 Bridge

• Flamingo south of Englewood

• West of Indian Pass to the Walton Bay County line