A hurricane watch and warnings of storm surges up to 15 feet high were issued Tuesday for almost all of Florida's western coastline as Tropical Storm Helene formed over the Caribbean Sea and headed toward the Gulf Coast.

Potential Tropical Cyclone 9 is swirling in the western Caribbean and could quickly become a major hurricane before striking Florida.

Much of the Gulf Coast of Florida was placed under hurricane, storm surge and tropical storm watches ahead of an expected hurricane.