- December 21, 2024
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John Ringling Causeway is open to residents and business owners of Bird, St. Armands and Lido keys.
Longboat Key remains closed.
Sarasota Police request that residents have their IDs ready to gain access; business owners must bring a form of business ownership for verification.
According to Sarasota County, business owners can access St. Armands Circle to assess storm damage, but barricades mark areas of concern — do not go around barricades. The county also reminds drivers to drive slowly, for wakes created by vehicles in stormwater can create more damage.
The city of Sarasota said water has been restored to St. Armands Circle, although a boil water notice is in effect.
On Longboat Key, town access is limited to emergency personnel. The town will notify residents via Alert Longboat Key, the town’s website, e-notification and social media once they are able to re-enter after damage assessments are complete.
Residents who did not evacuate may leave the island, but will not be able to re-enter until it is re-opened.
The latest official update from the Town of Longboat Key stated that water and wastewater services remained shut down at 12:30 p.m. Widespread power outages also continued on the island. Town officials were coordinating with representatives from both Manatee County and Florida Power & Light to restore those utilities as soon as possible.
Roads are still blocked and unsafe, according to the public notice, and bridges to Longboat Key remain closed. Only essential employees and services are permitted to enter Longboat Key at this time. Town staff is also working with state representatives on creating a comfort station on Longboat Key for those who remained on the island.
Re-entry to Longboat Key will only be possible when damage assessments are complete and the island is deemed safe. Once that happens, the town will proceed with the tiered re-entry protocol. Tier 1 is for essential town employees and federal, state and local agencies. Tier 2 includes representatives from healthcare and insurance agencies and others critical to the recovery effort. Tier 3 will be residents and businesses. There is no estimated timeline for when residents can return to the island at this time.
St. Armands Residents Association President Chris Goglia has provided some reports from St. Armands, which includes broken windows of storefronts on St. Armands Circle and merchandise floating in the streets.
“How bad was it? People who have lived on the islands for a very long time are telling me that they've never seen anything like this,” Goglia reported in an email to residents from his summer home. “It's my understanding that water flowed from the gulf through the streets of Lido Key, Lido Shores and St. Armands.”
The city has advised a boil water advisory will be in place for 48 hours after water is restored to the barrier islands. Anyone with ongoing concerns about the water are advised to allow the faucets to run for several minutes to clear the service lines.
According to Goglia’s email, Rachel Burns of St. Armands Circle Association said, “I would assume every first floor business had water inside, and may still have standing water. … Please be prepared for extensive clean-up.”
Power to Longboat Key is also reported to be out, according to Goglia, with significant flooding on Gulf of Mexico Drive, and the road to Anna Maria Island is “heavily damaged.”
Hurricane Helene's storm surge devastated parts of Longboat Key, and the island will remain closed while town officials work to procure outside resources. Water services and electricity remain off for the island, Town Manager Howard Tipton said in a morning update emailed to staff and commissioners. According to preliminary observations, Tipton said some roads have been washed out, and many properties and vehicles were damaged, some severely.
"We need to understand that this amount of devastation will require outside resources and we're coordinating with EOC to have those available," Tipton said in the email.
Tipton's update said that the team's first priority was search and rescue and making sure everyone was accounted for. Then, initial damage assessments would be made early this morning while Public Works crews work to clear the roads.
"Outside of emergency personnel, we will not be letting anyone on the island until we can wrap our arms around the situation," Tipton's email said. "No one wants patience right now, but I'm asking everyone to sit tight until we have some things sorted out."
Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane in the Big Bend region of Florida at about 11:10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26. Landfall was about 10 miles from Perry, Florida. Maximum sustained winds are 140 mph.
#LongboatKey continues to see the surg effects from #HurricaneHelene. If you did not evacuate, please shelter in place. #StaySafe pic.twitter.com/s6qqJ4b77H
— Longboat Key (@TownofLBK) September 26, 2024
Sarasota Police have closed the entire Ringling Causeway, setting up roadblocks at Golden Gate Point.
"All bridge access to the barrier islands is now closed," the police department said on the social media platform X. "It is not safe to be on the roads. We will update you when conditions improve and roadways reopen. Please stay safe, and stay indoors."
Sarasota County is also warning motorists to avoid the intersection of Midnight Pass and Stickney Point Drive. "Fast-moving water overwashed the barrier island and is in the roadway."
Conditions are expected to continue to worsen as several feet of storm surge are forecasted.
Sarasota County Fire Department 911 logs reveal dozens of 911 calls about downed or arcing power lines.
As of 4 p.m., Florida Power & Light reported 13,330 customers were without power in Sarasota; 3,720 customers were in the dark in Manatee County. However, poweroutage.us reported 36,470 FP&L customers were without power at 5:23 p.m.
On Longboat Key, wind and rainfall impacts were lower than expected based on observations, Town Manager Howard Tipton said.
The storm surge was continuing to push water onto the island, which Tipton expected would continue through the night until high tide around midnight.
Power has remained mostly on throughout the island so far. One report of a power outage in Bay Isles was discovered to be the result of a breaker box that was intentionally turned off. Tipton said no other storm-related outages had been reported.
Tipton said the town is working with Manatee County on a timeline to get the water turned back on for the island, which he estimated would be early Friday morning given the surge impacts.
Flooded conditions were observed in many of the town's low-lying areas, including:
Sarasota County announced offices will remain closed Friday to begin recovery efforts.
All solid waste collection services are anticipated to resume on Friday for residents of unincorporated Sarasota County. Thursday collection customers should place garbage, recycling and properly prepared yard waste materials at the curb no later than 9 a.m. on but are asked to wait until the high winds have subsided.
Garbage, recycling and yard waste collection for Friday collection customers will take place on Saturday, Sept. 28.
After the storm passes, county officials will assess damage to determine if storm debris collection contractors will be activated and what materials will be collected as storm debris. If storm debris collection contractors are activated, the county will publish guidance to notify what types of materials will be collected by storm debris collection contractors. Special preparation guidance for those materials will be provided.
Sarasota County Breeze expects to resume transit service on a modified schedule and routes sometime on Friday. The transit team will make an assessment early Friday to determine the modified service plan.
Meanwhile, Sonia Gauthier from Gauthier Salon on St. Armand’s said she was monitoring through her cameras and everything looks good right now but she is curious to see how things would go overnight.
Local roads continue to see localized flooding and several key bridges have been closed, as Hurricane Helene continues to pick up speed and wind velocity.
The Sunshine Skyway Bridge has closed due to high winds, the Florida Department of Transportation has announced.
The School District of Manatee County has announced the district's schools will be closed Friday.
Five of the district's schools are closed to serve as shelters.
The district explained in a news release the closure on Friday will allow the schools to complete their shelter operations and give district maintenance teams time to examine campuses for possible damage.
All athletic events and extracurricular activities scheduled for Friday are canceled, and many will be rescheduled to Saturday or later.
Principals will provide updates on schedules to students and parents.
Earlier in the day, the John Ringling Causeway west of Bird Key was closed due to weather conditions, the Sarasota Police Department announced.
The north entrance of Siesta Key at Siesta Drive is also closed due to unsafe conditions.
Siesta Key is still accessible on the south end by using the Stickney Point Bridge.
"Please avoid the barrier islands. They are high-risk flood zones," the police department said on social media.
At 2 p.m. the center of the storm was 195 miles southwest of Tampa, now moving toward the north-northeast at 16 mph.
Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 110 mph with higher gusts. Additional strengthening is forecast, and Helene is expected to be a major hurricane when it reaches the Florida Big Bend coast this evening.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles from the center and tropical storm-force winds extend outward up to 345 miles.
At 1 p.m., Florida Power & Light reported 550 power outages in Sarasota County.
The John Ringling Causeway west of Bird Key has been closed due to weather conditions, the Sarasota Police Department has announced.
The north entrance of Siesta Key at Siesta Drive is also closed due to unsafe conditions.
Siesta Key is still accessible on the south end by using the Stickney Point Bridge.
"Please avoid the barrier islands. They are high-risk flood zones," the police department said on social media.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Helene continues to pick up speed and wind velocity, the National Hurricane Center said.
At 11 a.m. the center of the storm was 255 miles southwest of Tampa, moving toward the north-northeast near 14 mph.
A significant increase in forward moving speed is expected during the next 24 hours.
At 10 a.m., Florida Power & Light reported 350 power outages in Sarasota County, out of 298,840 total customers.
Sarasota police are reporting several road closures due to high water:
According to Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport President and CEO Rick Piccolo, as of 10 a.m. Thursday morning the airport remained open, however, the airports website reveals airlines have canceled every scheduled flight on the arrival and departure board.
Rental car, parking and some limited concession areas are open. Crews are on site to keep people safe and secure aircraft.
Manatee County Utilities has completed shutting water off to the island cities of Anna Maria Island, Holmes Beach, Bradenton Beach, and the Town of Longboat Key. Service will be restored as soon as it is safe to do so, the county said.
In Manatee County, the Palma Sola boat ramp is under water, but the Causeway is clear.
Sarasota and Manatee counties continue to be under a storm surge warning and hurricane watch.
A storm surge warning means there is a danger of life-threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline.
A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area.
Sarasota County Is also under a tornado watch until 8 p.m.
In an update from Town Manager Howard Tipton to department heads, Tipton said the island is beginning to feel the effects of rain bands and the surf picked up overnight. The track of Hurricane Helene remains the same, which means the predictions of surge, rainfall and wind effects on the island also remain the same.
Manatee County shut off water to the island at 5:45 a.m., and the town currently only has two water storage tanks for the time being.
Sarasota County has been placed under a tornado watch until 8 p.m. Thursday.
Sarasota Police are reporting flooding on Siesta Drive coming onto Siesta Key, as well as minor flooding on St. Armands, at John Ringling Causeway and Sunset Drive.
In Manatee County, flooding has been seen at Riverview Boulevard and 21st Street West.
Helene strengthened to a Category 2 hurricane overnight, with maximum sustained winds of near 100 mph.
At 8 a.m., the storm was 320 miles southwest of Tampa, moving north-northeast at 12 mph.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 345 miles.
Helene is expected to pick up speed in the next 24 hours and will move across the Gulf of Mexico today and cross the Florida Big Bend coast this evening or early Friday morning.
Sarasota County Public Utilities has been on Siesta Key and Casey Key shutting off potable water service. This precautionary measure protects the community’s infrastructure, which may be inundated by storm surge and high winds.
When potable water services are restored, these areas will be under a boil water notice, the county said.
All solid waste collection services and facilities are closed Thursday.. Any items currently placed at the curb should be brought inside for the remainder of the storm.
Residents with regularly scheduled collection on Thursday or Friday should not put garbage, recycling, or yard waste at the curb until further notice. Conditions will be assessed after the storm passes to determine when the operations will resume. More information can be found on the county’s website.
Sandbag operations ended Wednesday evening. During the two days of sandbag operations, the county reported there were 68,120 sandbags distributed, filled with 1,362 tons of sand.
All Sarasota County Breeze Transit services will be closed Thursday. Possible service adjustments for Friday will be evaluated and additional information will be shared as it becomes available.
The Sarasota County final budget public hearing has been postponed to 5:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 30.
As of 8 a.m., there are 12 emergency shelters open in Sarasota County and two shelters in Manatee County:
Hurricane Helene has shifted to a straight north track and picking up speed, now 12 mph. A slight turn toward north-northeast with an increase in forward speed is expected later this evening through Thursday, bringing the center across the eastern Gulf of Mexico and to the Florida Big Bend coast by Thursday evening.
The center of the forecast has taken an ever-so slight shift toward the west has taken place and may now pass over Tallahassee Thursday evening.
The storm surge of the expected 4 to 7 feet in Sarasota may take place during low tide, which could limit inundation in the area.
Hurricane Helene continues to move toward the north-northwest near 10 mph. A turn toward the north and north-northeast with an increase in forward speed is expected later today through Thursday, bringing the center across the eastern Gulf of Mexico and to the Florida Big Bend coast by Thursday evening.
Data from an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that maximum sustained winds remain near 80 mph with higher gusts. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 25 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 275 miles.
Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport remains open at this time and has not indicated it will close. “Please contact your airline directly for flight status,” the airport’s website says.
As of 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, only two departures, both Southwest Airlines flights to Houston-Hobby and Baltimore; and two arrivals, an American Airlines flight from Charlotte, North Carolina, and a Frontier flight from Philadelphia, had been canceled.
Meanwhile, Tampa International Airport will suspend all commercial and cargo operations beginning at 2 a.m. Thursday and remaining closed until it can assess any damage after the storm.
Sarasota County Public Utilities may interrupt potable water service Thursday morning to the barrier islands -- Siesta Key and Casey Key -- in anticipation of the storm surge, unless storm surge or storm path predictions alter drastically before that time.
Utilities staff is prepared to deploy as soon as conditions are safe and restore water services to those who have been impacted.
In Manatee County, utilities officials will likely cut off potable water service to the island cities of Longboat Key, Anna Maria Island, Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach, to protect the integrity of the water infrastructure.
The water main may be turned off to these communities as early as 6 p.m. Wednesday unless storm surge predictions change drastically. The county will send an Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS) to those who may be affected.
Crews will continue to monitor the storm’s progress and updates will be provided if it is safe to keep the water service running. County crews will be ready to restore water service as soon as conditions allow.
Helene has officially become a hurricane, with sustained winds of 80 mph, the National Hurricane Center said in its 11 a.m. update.
The center of the storm was 500 miles south-southwest of Tampa, moving north-northwest at 10 mph.
Current local warnings and watches include a storm surge warning, hurricane watch and and tropical storm warning.
A storm surge warning means there is a danger of life-threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline, during the next 36 hours.
Sarasota County Breeze routes will operate regular service until 8 p.m., Wednesday. At that time, buses and trolleys will carry passengers through the end of the route before closing service for the day.
Fares are waived for the remainder of Wednesday.
Breeze Plus will honor only medically-necessary trips. Breeze OnDemand will be closed to the general public all day. Breeze OnDemand resources will be assisting evacuation efforts. Transportation to an evacuation center may be secured by calling 311.
All Breeze Transit services will be closed Thursday, Sept. 26. Possible service adjustments for Friday will be evaluated and additional information will be shared as it becomes available.
In Manatee County, evacuation orders have been issued for residents in Level A, as well as in manufactured communities, and has recommended evacuations in Level B, which includes areas as far east at 71st Street West.
Shelters at Lee Middle School in Bradenton and Buffalo Creek Middle School in Palmetto are open.
The Manatee County Sheriff's Office says some departments will be closed to the public Thursday, including records, civil process, and property and evidence.
Public visitation at the Manatee County Jail is suspended through Thursday.
Evacuations for Level A and manufactured communities have been announced in both Sarasota and Manatee counties.
Sarasota's evacuation order went into effect at 7 a.m. Manatee County's order is set to go into effect at 10 a.m.
All evacuation centers in Sarasota County will open at noon, the county’s website said.
To find out which evacuation level you are in, visit the Sarasota or Manatee County website.
All evacuation centers are pet-friendly, but you must bring all supplies including a crate. Remember: evacuation centers cannot provide chairs, bedding, cots, blankets or pet supplies.
To see a suggested checklist of items to bring, go to scgov.net/storm.
Sarasota County Government offices will be closed today, Sept. 25 and Thursday, Sept. 26.
Public schools in Sarasota and Manatee counties are closed. Schools in Manatee are set to reopen Friday, Sept. 27. Sarasota district schools will reopen Monday, Sept. 30.
Other announced closings include:
Self-service sandbags are still available to residents today, Wednesday, Sept. 25, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at:
Limit is 10 bags per vehicle.
At 7 a.m., the National Hurricane Center is reporting Helene is quickly gaining strength.
Maximum sustained winds are now near 70 mph with higher gusts. The storm is forecast to rapidly strengthen over the eastern Gulf of Mexico and become a hurricane later today and become a major hurricane on Thursday.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles from the center.
Unlike Tropical Storm Debby, storm surge from Hurricane Helene rather than flooding rains is the primary concern for Sarasota County officials, who held a press briefing at the Emergency Operations Center Tuesday afternoon.
As Helene passes off the Gulf Coast overnight Wednesday night into Thursday, some four to seven feet of storm surge is expected, said Sarasota County Emergency Management Chief Sandra Tapfumaneyi. And it could be higher than that.
“If we receive the higher end of this estimate, the storm surge could travel a mile or two inland,” Tapfumaneyi said. “The peak for storm surge is over a 30-hour period, starting overnight Wednesday. We're not anticipating hurricane strength winds at this time. Rather, we should see strong tropical storm force winds. According to the National Weather Service, the rainfall is expected to be between three to six inches, but it could be up to 10 inches in some areas.”
Sheriff Kurt Hoffman reminded residents about attempting to drive through high water, noting that even some of his deputies became stranded during Debbie. He also issued a warning about response time should residents find themselves in an emergency situation once winds become excessive.
“Deputies come off the road, usually at about 40 and 45 miles (per hour), so if we're off the road, you should certainly be off of the road and not creating dangers for the rest of us.”
Manatee County held a press conference to update citizens on Tropical Storm Helene.
“We are expecting rainfall in the amount of 3 to 8 inches with pockets of 10 inches possible,” Public Safety Director Jodie Fiske said. “We still are expecting that 5- to 8-foot storm surge.”
Due to that storm surge, a Level A evacuation order will go into effect at 10 a.m. tomorrow. Residents in Level B were not ordered to evacuate but urged to monitor the storm surge models.
Deputy County Administrator Evan Pilachowski offered a brief update on operations at the Lake Manatee Dam. The current level of the dam is 36.5 feet, and the target level is 36 feet.
“For wet weather season, it is 38 feet, so we’ve been drawing it down over the past 24 hours,” he said.
Pilachowski said a decision will be made later in the evening as to whether or not water on the islands will be shut off.
Manatee County Schools will be closed Wednesday and Thursday. A decision on Friday will be made after the storm passes, shelter operations conclude and district campuses are assessed.
“Please, take this very seriously,” Commissioner Mike Rahn said. “Evacuation orders — if they ask you to go, go.”
Sarasota and Manatee counties are under a local state of emergency as officials brace for the arrival of what will become Hurricane Helene later this week.
Tropical Storm Helene has been wobbling a bit that a well-defined center has just recently formed, but the longer-term motion is toward the west-northwest near 12 mph, the National Hurricane Center said.
On the forecast track, the center of Helene will move across the eastern Gulf of Mexico Wednesday and Thursday, potentially reaching the Gulf Coast as a major hurricane late Thursday.
Sarasota County is closing public schools Wednesday to prepare buildings for use as evacuation centers.
In an announcement this morning, the county said it will send out an evacuation alert for Level A and manufactured home communities starting Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 7 a.m.
Level A covers all coastal areas, including all of Longboat Key and Siesta Key, as well as areas along many rivers and creeks.
Sarasota County schools will close at the end of Tuesday, Sept. 24, to allow for time to prepare schools that serve as emergency evacuation centers.
Evacuation centers in Sarasota County will open at noon Wednesday.
Community members can identify their evacuation level and the nearest evacuation center on the county's website:
The City of Sarasota's administrative offices, recreational facilities and the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall will be closed Thursday, Sept. 26.
Thursday and Friday garbage/recycling/yard waste pickup will be delayed one day. Thursday collection will be Friday. Regular Friday pickup will be Saturday. This schedule is weather dependent and may change. Stay tuned for updates.
Code Compliance hearings scheduled for Thursday are canceled. To reschedule a hearing, call 941-263-6417 or email [email protected].
The Overtown Square grand opening celebration scheduled for Thursday is rescheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2.
The county’s moveable bridges, at Manasota Beach Road, Albe Road, Venice Avenue and Blackburn Point Road will likely be locked down to marine traffic by Wednesday afternoon. Residents with vessels needing passage should plan ahead.
Sarasota County Public Works Director Spencer Anderson says the county is inspecting stormwater infrastructure, “to clear hot spots of existing debris, to make sure they’re open for flow.”
Anderson also said the county has dropped water levels in the Celery Fields and upstream in Cow Pen Slough. “We’ve kept all of those wide open so they drain to the minimum levels before the storm comes through.”
All Disaster Recovery Centers in Florida will cease operations temporarily at close of business Tuesday, Sept. 24, in preparation for severe weather.
The centers will reopen when weather conditions permit.
Manatee County also issued its own local state of emergency Wednesday morning.
The county's Emergency Operations Center will continue to add staff and resources as needed as the storm progresses through the Gulf of Mexico, and provide resources for citizens to protect their property, an announcement said.
"Currently we have 11 sandbag stations that are open and operational,” said Manatee County Public Safety Director Jodie Fiske. Existing sandbag locations are being augmented with additional sites in at-risk areas. Open locations can be found at mymanatee.org/sandbags.
The Manatee County School District is planning an announcement later today about school closings, a spokesman said.
Staff have completed maintenance work on the Lake Manatee Dam. "All three mechanical gates are operational, and the earthen gates have been restored to normal levels," a news releasee said. Crews have also lowered the lake level in advance of the potential rainfall. "The level was at 36.9 feet at 8 a.m. this morning. This will allow for more capacity as needed," the release said.
Manatee County Animal Welfare is seeking fosters who may be able to care for pets during this severe weather event at their home. Those interested can send an email or stop by the Palmetto shelter, which is open from noon to 6 p.m.
Manatee County Parks and Preserves will be closed, beginning Wednesday evening. Beaches and pools will be closing tonight and remain closed until further notice. G.T. Bray Park will be closing at noon Wednesday to allow for staging of emergency responders.
There will be no Manatee County Area Transit (MCAT) fixed-route service on Thursday. Trolley and Transit service will end at 8 p.m. Wednesday. The Gulf Island Ferry Service is suspended through the weekend.
Manatee County’s contracted waste haulers are actively working Tuesday and Wednesday to complete their regular collection routes while also addressing debris cleanup. Trash pickups for Thursday are canceled, with Thursday pickups shifting to Friday and Friday pickups moving to Saturday. The Lena Road Landfill will be closed Thursday.
Hurricane and storm surge watches are in effect for the entire west coast of Florida, from the Big Bend to south of Naples as a disturbance expected to become Hurricane Helene churns northward.
A hurricane watch means hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area. A watch is typically issued 48 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous.
All Sarasota County offices are closed Tuesday, Sept. 24, for staff "to focus on storm preparations for Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine," the county announced Monday night.
Solid Waste will be operating normally for Tuesday, including curbside collection services. The landfill will also be open during normal hours.
All Breeze services (Breeze bus and trolley routes, Breeze OnDemand, and non-medical Breeze Plus trips) will operate on a normal schedule Tuesday. Visit scgov.net/breeze for service updates.
Sandbag stations are open for residents Tuesday and Wednesday at several areas of the county, including Twin Lakes Park and Ed Smith Stadium.
Sand and bags will be provided. Residents must bring their own shovels. There is a limit of 10 bags per vehicle.
On Longboat Key, there is a manned sandbag operation at the Broadway Beach Access on Tuesday, Sept. 24 from 8 a.m. to noon. After that, sandbags can be picked up at the Town of Longboat Key Public Works Office, 600 General Harris Street from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. with sand available at the Broadway Beach Access.
The town’s sandbag station is to serve Longboat Key residents, property owners and commercial interests only to help address potential flooding issues.
Please bring proof of residency such as a driver’s license or utility bill to obtain bags at Public Works.
There is a limit of 10 bags per household. Residents may bring their own bags if more are needed.
For more information, visit SCGov.net/helene.
Other county departments, such as Public Works and Public Utilities, are conducting their pre-storm operations, the county said.
Forecasts say the Manatee-Sarasota area could experience up to a 9-foot storm surge from rising water moving inland from the coastline during the next 48 hours.
A hurricane watch has also been issued, meaning that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area. A watch is typically issued 48 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous.
At 11 a.m. Tuesday, Helene was moving toward the northwest near 12 mph with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph. This general motion is expected later Tuesday and Tuesday night, followed by a faster northward turn to north-northeastward motion on Wednesday and Thursday.
On the forecast track, the center of the system is forecast to move across the Caribbean Sea tonight, then over the eastern Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday and Thursday.
