Multiple counties and cities across Central Florida are making sandbags available to residents in preparation for Tropical Storm Helene, which is forecast to develop into a hurricane by Thursday. Orange County has six sandbag sites open Tuesday and Wednesday from 9 a.

Tropical Storm Helene formed on Tuesday and is forecast intensify into a major hurricane before making landfall on Florida’s Gulf coast by Thursday afternoon. Here’s the latest

A day after Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 41 counties, he added 20 more on Tuesday, warning nearly the entire state to prepare for Tropical Storm Helene. The National Hurricane Center upgraded Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine to tropical storm status at 11 a.

Another storm system is taking aim at Florida, this time possibly the Panhandle with storm effects all along the Gulf Coast. Tropical Storm Helene, soon to be a hurricane, is sweeping up from the Caribbean Sea into extremely warm waters that are fuel for tropical cyclones.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday said Florida is preparing for a direct hit from a major hurricane that could intensify quickly before it makes landfall in the Panhandle later this week. The National Hurricane Center predicted a tropical storm currently in the Gulf of Mexico will become Hurricane Helene as it moves north toward Florida by Thursday.

Tropical Storm Helene is currently headed through the Yucatan Peninsula bringing up to 12 inches (30.1cm) of rain to the region in Mexico. On Wednesday morning the weather front is expected to become a hurricane with the possibility of becoming a Category 3 major hurricane by the time it reaches the Florida panhandle on Thursday.