Hurricane Watch Issued for Cuba and Mexico as Storm Approaches
- Hurricane watches have been issued for parts of Cuba and Mexico as a cluster of storms is expected to strengthen into a major hurricane.
- The storm, likely to become Hurricane Helene, is projected to approach the Gulf Coast by Thursday, threatening areas in north Florida.
- Heavy rainfall and storm surge are anticipated, prompting school closures in the Cayman Islands and warnings for potential flooding.
On Monday, hurricane watches were issued for parts of Cuba and Mexico as a cluster of storms, located south of the Cayman Islands, is anticipated to strengthen into a major hurricane. The National Hurricane Center predicts that this disturbance could become Hurricane Helene by Wednesday, with the potential to reach the Gulf Coast as a Category 3 or stronger hurricane by Thursday. Areas in north Florida and the Big Bend region are particularly at risk. The storm was reported to be approximately 130 miles south-southwest of Grand Cayman, with maximum sustained winds of 30 mph and a northward movement at 6 mph. A hurricane watch is currently in effect for the Cuban province of Pinar del Rio and eastern Mexico from Cabo Catoche to Tulum. Additionally, a tropical storm warning has been issued for eastern Mexico and several Cuban provinces. Heavy rainfall is expected, with forecasts predicting up to eight inches in western Cuba and the Cayman Islands, and four inches in the eastern Yucatán Peninsula. The Southeast U.S. is also bracing for significant rainfall starting Wednesday, raising concerns about flash and river flooding. Authorities in the Cayman Islands have already closed schools in anticipation of heavy flooding. The storm is expected to create a path between Cuba and Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, and if it develops as predicted, Helene will mark the eighth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30.