Grapevine

Southeast US under major storm warning as hurricane watches issued

A system of storms in the Caribbean is forecast to develop into Hurricane Helene by the middle of this week.

Parts of Cuba and Mexico are under a hurricane watch as a storm system is expected to strengthen into a major hurricane in the next few days as it moves north towards the southern coast of the United States, weather forecasters have said.

The system of showers and thunderstorms is expected to develop into Hurricane Helene by midweek as it approaches the Gulf Coast of northern Florida in the US, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).

“It could be a major hurricane when it reaches the northeastern Gulf Coast on Thursday,” the NHC said, predicting maximum sustained winds of 185km/h (115mph).

That would classify Helene as a Category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, which uses a rising 1-5 rating based on a hurricane’s sustained wind speed.