Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine, which may develop into Hurricane Helene, is churning in the western Caribbean Sea as of Monday morning.
An area of thunderstorms in the Caribbean is expected to develop into Hurricane Helene and rapidly intensify over the exceptionally warm Gulf of Mexico before slamming into the United States’ Gulf Coast later this week, potentially as a major hurricane.
The storm has not formed yet but is expected to soon, so the National Hurricane Center has dubbed it Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine to warn of its imminent threat.
Hurricane and tropical storm watches are in effect for parts of Mexico and Cuba. Similar alerts will be issued for the US in the coming days, with a potential landfall in Florida expected perhaps as soon Thursday night.
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**Florida wasted no time in preparing for the approaching storm.** Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for 41 of the state’s 67 counties ahead of the potential impact, according to a Monday press release. This declaration aims to streamline preparations and coordination between state and local governments.
Currently, *Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine* is a disorganized cluster of showers and thunderstorms moving through the far western Caribbean Sea. The system is already producing heavy rainfall, with the potential for flooding over parts of Central America, Mexico, Cuba, and Jamaica as it attempts to organize into a tropical storm.
Although the exact track and strength of the storm remain uncertain, *Helene* is projected to move north over the exceptionally warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. These conditions could rapidly intensify the storm as it heads toward the U.S. Gulf Coast.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecasts Helene to strengthen quickly, potentially growing from a tropical storm to a Category 2 hurricane over the record-warm waters of the Gulf—an increasing possibility as global temperatures rise due to fossil fuel emissions.
There is also a chance Helene could exceed these predictions, with the NHC warning it may reach Category 3 major hurricane status.
Wherever the storm makes landfall, strong winds, storm surge, and dangerous seas are expected. The system will likely generate rough surf and hazardous rip currents across much of the Gulf later this week.
