SUMMARY: Hurricane Helen is currently strengthening as it approaches the Gulf of Mexico, with maximum winds of 80 mph. The storm is moving north-northwest at 10 mph and is expected to reach category 2 status soon, potentially becoming a category 3 hurricane by tomorrow morning. It’s forecasted to make landfall near Appalachicola around 7 PM tomorrow, weakening quickly afterward. While the Gulf Coast will experience breezy conditions and a tropical storm warning in waterways, significant storm surge impacts will be focused on the eastern side of the storm. Rain chances and rough surf may affect Northwest Florida, so residents should stay informed on the latest developments.

HURRICANE HELENE is now a hurricane and will continue to strengthen as it enters the Gulf. The system continues to become more organized and is set for a period of possible rapid intensification. The storm is expected to become major hurricane by Thursday morning.

Right now, NHC has Helene picking up speed as it gets picked up by and upper-level trough. Currently, the cone of uncertainty stretches from the Panama City all the way to Cedar Key, FL. As this continues to develop, we could see more wobbles in the track.

As the center gets more organized, we could see shifts in the track. Even small shifts will impact what we see in the News 5 area. This system is also forecast to be big in size, meaning impacts will be felt well outside of the cone of uncertainty (where the center of the storm could pass).

ROUGH SURF – Waves of 8-14 feet, 6-10 feet in the surf zone. High Surf Warning in place from 6 AM Thursday to noon Friday
GUSTY WINDS (WATER)– Tropical Storm Warning for coastal waters of NW FL and offshore waters of AL. Small Craft Advisory in place for other local waters
GUSTY WINDS (LAND) – 20-30 mph wind gusts, some up to 45 mph mainly in NW FL (Wind Advisory for coastal NW FL from noon Thursday through 6 AM Friday)
RAIN – 1-3″, mainly east of Mobile Bay
COASTAL FLOODING – Minor flooding along coastal AL and NW FL Thursday evening
ISOLATED TORNADOES: Wednesday into Thursday, low risk in NW FL
These impacts COULD CHANGE if the forecast track changes. Stay tuned!

WHAT TO DO

Keep watching and we will continue to keep you updated. Make sure your kit and plan are ready to go.

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