Tropical Storm Warning: Sarasota, Manatee, Hardee and DeSoto, and Charlotte County

Storm Surge Warning: Manatee, Sarasota and Charlotte Counties

The entire Suncoast area is under flood and hurricane warning

Flood Warning: Little Manatee River near Manatee County and Hillsborough County border.

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) – As of 8 p.m. ET, Hurricane Helene remains a strengthening Category 1 hurricane in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico. The 8 p.m. update from the National Hurricane Center reports a pressure decrease of four millibars to 974, showing some strengthening since the 5 p.m. update. The hurricane is located just north of the Yucatan Peninsula and is moving north at 12 mph. The hurricane will eventually make a northeasterly turn and quickly intensify to a Category 4 hurricane. The hurricane is expected to make landfall in the Big Bend area of ​​Florida as a major hurricane on Thursday evening.

Maximum sustained winds are around 85 mph with higher gusts. Significant strengthening is expected as Helene moves north through the Gulf.

Heavy rain is expected to continue as more of Helene’s outer rain bands move through the Suncoast. As the storm moves north, the core of the storm will remain offshore, but the very large wind field means that much of Florida will experience significant impacts. Tropical Storm Warnings, Hurricane Watches, and Storm Surge Warnings remain in effect for the Suncoast.

As the outer bands continue to move tonight and tomorrow, Tornado Warnings are possible. Flooding from localized heavy rain is possible, and tropical storm force winds of 39-73 mph will move into the Suncoast Wednesday night and last through Thursday. The strongest winds are expected near the coastline, but heavy rain and localized flooding are still possible for areas farther inland.

Conditions are expected to deteriorate overnight, with the most dangerous winds and rainfall occurring during the day on Thursday.

Significant storm surge is also expected to hit the Suncoast as the storm approaches. Peak storm surge forecasts are:

5-8 feet… from the middle of Longboat Key north to the Anclote River, including all of Tampa Bay.

4-7 ft… from the middle of Longboat Key through Sarasota and then south to Englewood.

3-5 ft… south of Englewood, including Charlotte Harbor.

Impacts to the Suncoast are expected to ease on Friday as the storm quickly moves north.

Helene is expected to move very quickly northward through the eastern Gulf of Mexico and make landfall in the Big Bend region Thursday night as a major Category 4 hurricane. Hurricane watches are in effect for the Big Bend and Panhandle regions of Florida. The Big Bend region could experience storm surges of up to 20 feet, and sustained hurricane-force winds will be present well inland.

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