According to forecasters, a storm surge that could endanger life could affect Florida’s entire west coast. President Biden has declared a state of emergency because Hurricane Michael is predicted to make landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast late on Thursday, possibly in the Big Bend region. This storm has the potential to be the strongest to strike the US in more than a year. Helene would be the fifth hurricane to hit Florida since 2022 and the fourth to make landfall in the US this year. She was only 4 mph away from becoming a hurricane on Wednesday morning.The storm is currently rapidly strengthening after forming in the northwest Caribbean Sea on Tuesday morning. Over the exceptionally warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Helene is expected to intensify quickly, potentially reaching Category 3 major hurricane status in as little as 48 hours, from a 45 mph tropical storm. As of 8 a.m. ET, the center reports that Helene’s maximum sustained winds were 70 mph, with even higher gusts.
