ATLANTA — Tropical Storm Helene is expected to pick up strength and become a major hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday, with its projected path having significant implications for Georgia.
As the storm develops on Wednesday, 11Alive will have a live stream is available in the video player above this story and blow, in the YouTube player, with live information including radar and the storm's projected path.
Helene is forecast to quickly intensify as it emerges in the Gulf of Mexico, becoming a major hurricane before landfall late Thursday along Florida's Big Bend region, not far from Apalachicola
Take a look at live conditions:
Helene live tracker, radar, projected path
Interactive Helene radar
More on Helene
Helene is forecast to move into the Gulf as a tropical storm, then strengthen to a Category 3 Hurricane before making landfall along the panhandle of Florida by Thursday evening or early Friday.
The storm is forecast to weaken as it moves northward through the state of Georgia, but depending on its strength and track, it could have huge impacts on the area. It is forecast to still be a Tropical Storm when passing through north Georgia.
Helene spaghetti models:
It's still too early to be 100% confident in this track, but the models have been consistent so far. They are very similar in placement of the low as it approaches the coast. The spaghetti models are pretty similar to the NHC track.
Watches and warnings:
Hurricane Warnings and Tropical Storm Warnings extend inland into south Georgia, and Tropical Storm Watches have been extended north through Macon. Upson county is included in the Tropical Storm Watch.
Hurricane Warnings are in effect from the Anclote River to Mexico Beach, Florida, as well as portions of the Mexico coast, including Cozumel.
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the Florida Keys, Flamingo to Anclote River, including Tampa Bay, the Atlantic coast from Flamingo, Florida, northward to Altamaha Sound, Georgia, Lake Okeechobee, the Dry Tortugas, and portions of the Yucatan Peninsula and Cuba.