A hurricane watch has been issued for nearly all of Florida’s western coastline, extending from Indian Pass near Panama City down to Englewood, including Tampa Bay. A list of Florida State Parks closed due to the storm is below.
As of 2 p.m. ET, Tropical Storm Helene was located about 175 miles east-southeast of Cozumel, Mexico, with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph. The storm is moving northwest at 12 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. If Helene continues to strengthen, it will become the fourth hurricane to impact the U.S. this year.
The storm’s center is expected to move across the northwestern Caribbean Sea through Tuesday night and into the eastern Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday and Thursday. Helene could potentially reach the Gulf Coast of Florida by Thursday, with the possibility of becoming a major hurricane (Category 3 or higher, with winds of 111-129 mph) by that time.
Hurricane and tropical storm watches are now in effect for the entire western coast of the Sunshine State, and authorities are urging residents to prepare and exercise caution.
RVers in threatened areas should prepare by acquainting themselves with safe shelters.
To help ensure the safety of visitors and staff, Florida State Parks is assessing the impacts from Tropical Storm Helene. The following parks have been affected by the storm.
Park Closures
including any associated overnight accommodations:
Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park (Leon County).
Anclote Key Preserve State Park (Pinellas, Pasco County).
Bahia Honda State Park (Monroe County).
Bald Point State Park (Franklin County).
Caladesi Island State Park (Pinellas County).
Cedar Key Museum State Park (Levy County).
Cedar Key Scrub State Reserve (Levy County).
Cockroach Bay Preserve State Park (Hillsborough County).
Constitution Convention Museum State Park (Gulf County).
Crystal River Archaeological State Park (Citrus County).
Crystal River Preserve State Park (Citrus County).
Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park (Franklin County).
Dudley Farm Historic State Park (Alachua County).
Econfina River State Park (Taylor County).
Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park (Wakulla County).
Egmont Key State Park (Hillsborough County).
Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park (Citrus County).
Fanning Springs State Park (Levy County).
Forest Capital Museum State Park (Taylor County).
Fort Cooper State Park (Citrus County).
Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park (Monroe County).
Honeymoon Island State Park (Pinellas County).
Ichetucknee Springs State Park (Columbia, Suwannee County).
Ichetucknee Trace (Columbia County).
John Gorrie Museum State Park (Franklin County).
Judah P. Benjamin Confederate Memorial at Gamble Plantation Historic State Park (Manatee County).
Lafayette Blue Springs State Park (Lafayette County).
Lake Jackson Mounds Archaeological State Park (Leon County).
Lake Talquin State Park (Leon County).
Letchworth-Love Mounds Archaeological State Park (Jefferson County).
Madira Bickel Mound State Archaeological Site (Manatee County).
Madison Blue Spring State Park (Madison County).
Manatee Springs State Park (Levy County).
Natural Bridge Battlefield Historic State Park (Leon County).
Nature Coast State Trail (Dixie, Gilchrist, Levy County).
Ochlockonee River State Park (Wakulla County).
O’Leno State Park (Alachua, Columbia County).
Orman House Historic State Park (Franklin County).
Oscar Scherer State Park (Sarasota County).
Price’s Scrub State Park (Marion County).
Rainbow Springs State Park (Marion County).
River Rise Preserve State Park (Alachua, Columbia County).
Ruth B. Kirby Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park (Gilchrist County).
San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park (Wakulla County).
Skyway Fishing Pier State Park (Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee County).
St. Marks River Preserve State Park (Leon, Jefferson County).
Suwannee River State Park (Hamilton, Madison, Suwannee County).
Suwannee River Wilderness Trail (Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Suwannee County).
T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park (Gulf County).
Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail (Leon, Wakulla County).
Terra Ceia Preserve State Park (Manatee County).
Torreya State Park (Liberty, Gadsden County).
Troy Spring State Park (Lafayette County).
Waccasassa Bay Preserve State Park (Levy County).
Weeki Wachee Springs State Park (Hernando County).
Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park (Pasco County).
Wes Skiles Peacock Springs State Park (Suwannee County).
Withlacoochee State Trail (Citrus, Hernando, Pasco County).
Ybor City Museum State Park (Hillsborough County).
Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historic State Park (Citrus County).
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Yep, here we go again. Come on down to the Tampa Bay area and you can park in my yard and we can both see how HELene turns out. Bring your own sandbags and tarps. Feel for the people up in the Big Bend.
If you take a hankering to head north clear across Georgia, Kelly, you can watch the rain fall outside of Chattanooga at our RV barn. Just let me know (harrierncd at gmail dot com) and I’ll send you directions. Our exit is 11 miles into Tennessee. 🙂
Thank You Neal. We haven’t traveled that far for the last couple of years, but I really have little idea how many times we have driven the length of Georgia, thru Chattanooga, and on up to Illinois over 45 years. Used to be at least once a year and many times twice a year. If you want to check the accuracy of your odometer, drive from Tampa to Peoria and if it reads 1200 miles, you are good plus or minus 10 miles. lol Always enjoyed getting up to Mt Eagle in our VW Camper on US41 before the Interstate came in. Beautiful country.
You are very welcome, Kelly! 🙂 If you change your mind, just let me know. I will monitor my email in case somebody decides to visit. 🙂
Thank you, RV Travel! 🙂 We in and around Chattanooga, Tennessee are supposed to get quite a bit of rain from this storm. Any of y’all heading north along I-75 are welcome to hunker down at our RV barn. I figure we can host a couple of you if you choose to come this far from Florida. Just email me at harrierncd at gmail dot com and I’ll give you directions. Thanks again, have a great day, safe travels, and safe stays! 🙂