Tropical Storm Helene - Storm surge, winds and heavy rains for Florida

Tropical Storm Helene is located over the western Caribbean it is starting to become better organized. It is still set to become a major hurricane this week.

The system was been influenced by wind shear which has held the system back from organizing overnight and is moving very slowly to the northwest. The storm will continue moving, slower during the next 24 hours, while it is still in the western Caribbean. By Wednesday morning, it will take a northward turn entering the warm Gulf of Mexico. This is when the system will be intensifying, possibly rapidly, and moving faster toward the Big Bend of Florida.

This is a very large system. Impacts will go for 200 miles from the center of the hurricane. Therefore storm surge will be large across Florida's West Coast. Some areas might experience at least 15 feet of storm surge, especially between the Big Bend and the Charlotte Harbor. Southwest Florida could deal with 6 feet of storm surge in some spots.

Much of the Florida Peninsula could experience tropical storm-force winds at some point between Wednesday and Thursday. Hurricane-force winds will be felt along the Southwest through the Big Bend. Florida is on the 'dirty side' of the storm, this means the strongest rainbands with embedded gusty winds and tornadoes are possible. Between 6 to 8 inches of rain are possible along the Panhandle and northern Florida, while the Southeastern part of Florida could receive up to 5 inches in some spots.

Please stay informed and finish preparations if you are in Florida by Wednesday morning. Weather will be quickly deteriorating, with the worst weather happening on Thursday. The storm is forecast to make landfall on Thursday evening. Keep in mind that there could still be shifts in the track, and impacts might worsen or improve for some depending on shifts.