/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25644946/eufyCam_S3_Pro___Intruder_image.jpeg "This Eufy security camera can show nighttime as if it were daytime")
Stream FOX 35 News
Hurricane Helene strengthened into a dangerous, Category 3 storm in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday afternoon and is expected to strengthen further – potentially becoming a Category 4 or higher – before making landfall over Florida.
Helene is likely to bring life-threatening storm surge, damaging winds, torrential rain, and flooding to parts of the Sunshine State.
Helene is the eighth named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season. If landfall happens over Florida’s Big Bend region, it would mark the third hurricane in the last two years to make landfall there (Hurricane Idalia in 2023, and Hurricane Debby in 2024).
WHERE IS HELENE | WHEN WILL HELENE REACH FLORIDA | IMPACTS | WATCHES & WARNINGS
Here’s the latest on Hurricane Helene’s anticipated path, cone, timeline, landfall, and impacts towards Florida.
Hurricane Helene is 170 miles west-southwest of Tampa, and 205 miles south of Apalachicola, the National Hurricane Center said in a rare, 2:25 p.m. update on Thursday. The storm is moving north-northeast at 16 mph, which is 2 mph faster than the 11 a.m. update.
Helene had sustained winds of 120 mph, making it a Category 3 hurricane. To be a Cat. 4 hurricane, sustained winds have to be between 130-156 mph.
The minimum central pressure is 959 mb.
Timeline: When is Hurricane Helene expected to reach Florida?
Hurricane Helene is expected to continue to strengthen in the Gulf of Mexico before making landfall over Florida’s Big Bend region sometime Thursday evening.
WATCH: Live cameras from Florida as Hurricane Helene nears landfall
The latest track (cone) from the NHC is below. After making landfall, Helene was expected to weaken. However, due to the storm’s size, speed, and strength, strong, damaging winds are possible for much of the inland southeastern United States.
Central Florida – Orlando and the surrounding cities – began to feel the impacts of Hurricane Helene on Wednesday. The weather will rapidly deteriorate on Thursday afternoon, including tropical storm-force winds, wind gusts, heavy rain, and the potential for tornado warnings.
The worst weather will be felt on Thursday evening, where much of Central Florida will experience tropical storm-forced winds, strong wind gusts, and heavy rain, up to 4″ possible in some spots. There will also be the chance for a tornado or two to develop. A more detailed, county-by-county breakdown of what to expect can be found here.
Stay connected with FOX 35
