Where is Helene headed? We’ll break down the new track update on Tracking the Tropics LIVE at 2 p.m. ET in the video player above.
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — As Hurricane Helene moves closer to Florida, impacts will be felt all across the Tampa Bay area.
Here is when we can expect to start seeing Helene’s rain and winds:
Wednesday
Helene became a hurricane Wednesday morning and has the possibility of becoming a major hurricane in the eastern Gulf late Wednesday into Thursday.
The Tampa Bay area will start to see rain bands move in Wednesday, with the heaviest after sunset. It will become breezy with 20 to 25 mph wind gusts throughout the day.
Conditions will deteriorate Thursday as rain bands become more persistent and wind picks up.
Thursday
Given the current track, wind speed will be in the 20 to 30 mph range Thursday morning with the strongest wind occurring late in the afternoon into the evening when Helene is as close to Tampa as it will get, which right now appears to be well offshore.
Tropical storm-force wind speed and the possibility of hurricane-force wind gusts along the immediate coast are possible when Helene is due west of Tampa.
As Helene passes, storm surge will be an issue. South wind will shift to the southwest pushing water into the coastline and into Tampa Bay. Storm surge can be as high as 5 to 10 feet along the Pinellas, Pasco, and Hernando county coastlines and 10 to 15 feet along Citrus County and 4 to 8 feet in Tampa Bay itself.
Friday
Rain and wind will subside overnight Thursday into Friday as Helene makes landfall in the Big Bend area.
Wind speed will decrease to 15 to 20 mph throughout the day Friday as rain becomes more scattered. The possibility of 4 to 8 inches of rain along the immediate coast are possible with 2 to 4 inches further inland.