Tropical Storm Helene forms in Caribbean, Tropical Storm John weakens

Two major weather systems are bringing heavy rain, high winds and more to Mexico's southern Pacific coast on one side and the Caribbean on the other.

Tropical Storm John struck Mexico late Monday with life-threatening flood potential after growing into a Category 3 hurricane in a matter of hours. It came ashore near the town of Punta Maldonado before weakening back to tropical storm status early Tuesday and was expected to weaken rapidly. Still, the US National Hurricane Centre warned that the storm’s slow pace and heavy rains could cause potentially catastrophic flash flooding and mudslides.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Helene formed in the Caribbean Sea on Tuesday after bringing heavy rains and big waves to the Cayman Islands. Forecasters warned the storm could strengthen into a major hurricane en route to the southeast US Hurricane watches were in effect for Florida’s Tampa Bay and from Englewood to Indian Pass, as well as for eastern Mexico from Cabo Catoche to Tulum and for Cuba’s Pinar del Rio province.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden on Tuesday afternoon approved Florida's state of emergency declaration. He also ordered federal assistance to supplement state, tribal and local response efforts due to emergency conditions resulting from Tropical Storm Helene that began Monday.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in 61 of the state’s 67 counties ahead of the storm expected to become Hurricane Helene. The governor continues to urge residents across much of the state to prepare for potentially significant impacts, from the rural Panhandle region down the Gulf Coast to southwest Florida. The storm is expected to arrive as soon as late Thursday.

“We’re anticipating impacts, I mean, 100, 200 miles (161 to 322 kilometres) outside the eye of the storm, you could see with winds and you could see with surge,” DeSantis said. “We are going to see significant impacts no matter what happens.”

DeSantis said the storm is reminiscent of Hurricane Michael, a category 5 hurricane that rapidly intensified and caught many residents off guard before plowing a path of destruction across the western Panhandle. Communities that are still rebuilding from previous storms could get battered again, DeSantis warned.