Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater and surrounding areas are just outside the forecast cone for Hurricane Helene, which could make landfall as a Category 3 or higher hurricane on Thursday.

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,

Evacuations are underway and time is running for Floridians to prepare for Helene, which threatens to hit as the strongest storm to make landfall in the United States in over a year.