Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater are outside the forecast cone for Hurricane Helene, but the region will experience hurricane-force winds and high storm surges. Here’s the latest forecast

Tropical Storm Helene was rapidly strengthening in the Caribbean Sea and expected to become a hurricane Wednesday while moving north along Mexico's coast toward the U.S., prompting residents to evacuate,

The storm could come ashore as a dangerous Category 3 or 4 hurricane with a surge over 10 feet, winds over 110 mph and flooding rain.