Tropical Storm Helene to Hit Cuba and Florida

By Dave Sherwood

HAVANA (Reuters) – Tropical Storm Helene is anticipated to trigger mudslides and flooding in Cuba before intensifying into a major hurricane on Thursday, impacting Florida with life-threatening ocean surges, according to the U.S. National Weather Service.

Helene is currently about 180 miles (277 km) south of western Cuba, moving northwest with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (72 kph), as reported by the Miami-based National Hurricane Center in its latest advisory on Tuesday.

Forecasters project that Helene will rapidly strengthen over the warm Gulf of Mexico waters, achieving hurricane status with winds up to 115 mph.

State and national authorities in the U.S. have issued warnings of damaging winds and flooding due to surging seawater in low-lying areas of Florida's panhandle and west coast as early as Wednesday.

Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in numerous Florida counties, and some areas faced mandatory evacuation orders on Tuesday in anticipation of flooding.

White House spokesperson Jeremy Edwards noted that President Joe Biden was briefed on the storm and was coordinating with local officials. He mentioned that federal resources, including generators, food, and water, were pre-positioned, alongside search and rescue teams.

Cuba Preparedness

As rain began to pound western Cuba on Tuesday morning, authorities closed schools, shut down ports, and asked fishing boats to return. Farmers rushed to secure thousands of tons of tobacco ahead of the forecasted high winds.

A hurricane watch and tropical storm warnings were active across the western third of Cuba, with Havana anticipated to experience heavy rains and moderate winds. Residents, facing economic challenges and scarcity of essentials, prepared as best as they could. Yoli Gigato, a housewife from Mantua, expressed concerns about the storm, recalling the damage from Hurricane Ian two years prior. "We are praying that the damage is not so serious," she said.

The storm's path also crosses the northeastern tip of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, where in Cancun, fishermen pulled boats onto the beach as hotel workers removed sun beds amid darkening skies.

Climate scientists indicate that hurricanes in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico have increased in frequency and severity due to global warming. The storm is expected to continue north towards parts of Georgia, Tennessee, and Kentucky, leading to isolated flash and urban flooding, as stated by the weather service.

U.S. oil producers are evacuating personnel from platforms in the Gulf of Mexico in anticipation of the storm's impact.