Tropical Storm Helene formed yesterday as expected, and if the forecast from the National Hurricane Center is to be believed, the Big Bend area of Florida could see it make landfall as a Category 3 hurricane tomorrow with potential maximum sustained winds of 115-mph. The explosive growth of the storm is being helped by water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico that are near or above all-time highs. Surface temperatures in Helene’s path are as warm as 89-degrees Fahrenheit, which is two to four degrees above normal. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for 61 counties ahead of the storm, and President Biden has also declared an emergency in the state.
