Helene has strengthened into a hurricane with forecasters warning that the storm would intensify as it crosses the Gulf of Mexico on a path to Florida. The storm has already prompted residents to evacuate, schools to close and officials to declare emergencies in Florida and Georgia. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said the hurricane was about 430 miles southwest of Tampa, Florida, and had sustained winds of 85 mph. In Tampa, strong waves and currents surged in around twilight on Thursday. Meanwhile, streets in Sarasota County have been flooded.
