Tropical storm Helene expected to be major hurricane by Thursday landfall

Tropical Storm Helene formed Tuesday in the Caribbean Sea and could strengthen into a major hurricane while moving north toward into the Gulf of Mexico and 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 is anticipated to be unusually large and fast-moving, meaning storm surge, wind and rain will likely extend far from the storm’s center, the hurricane center said. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has declared a state of emergency. And states as far inland as Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana could see rainfall.

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.

The tropical storm prompted NASA and SpaceX to bump Thursday’s planned astronaut launch to at least Saturday. And Florida A&M University postponed its upcoming college football game against Alabama A&M.

Helene, the eighth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season that began June 1, could strengthen into a major Category 3 hurricane — with winds of at least 111 mph before approaching the northeastern Gulf Coast. 

Since 2000, eight major hurricanes have made landfall in Florida.