Ron DeSantis held a press conference at the State Emergency Operations Center Tuesday morning in Tallahassee. This comes after the governor declared a state of emergency for 41 of Florida's 67 counties Monday due to a storm system that is expected to grow into a powerful hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico.

TALLAHASSEE - Gov. Ron DeSantis has expanded a declared state of emergency to 61 of the state's 67 counties as Tropical Storm Helene heads toward Florida and is expected to rapidly grow into a powerful hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico.

A state of emergency has been declared in Florida where evacuations are underway along the Gulf Coast as Tropical Storm Helene is expected to become a major hurricane before it makes landfall. Residents in the storm's potential path have been told to prepare for up to a week without electricity.