Tropical Weather Latest: 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 U.S. National Hurricane Center 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 U.S. 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.

Follow AP's coverage of tropical weather at https://apnews.com/hub/hurricanes.

Here's the latest:

NASA and SpaceX postpone planned astronaut launch ahead of Helene

Tropical Storm Helene prompted NASA and SpaceX to bump Thursday’s planned astronaut launch to at least Saturday.

Although Helene was expected to hit clear across the state, high wind and heavy rain were expected at Cape Canaveral.

SpaceX will launch two astronauts to the International Space Station, along with two empty seats reserved for the Boeing Starliner test pilots who have been up there since June. Their problem-plagued Boeing capsule returned to Earth without them earlier this month, so SpaceX will bring them back to Earth next year.

The postponement follows President Joe Biden ordering federal assistance for Florida and approving its state of emergency declaration.

Biden orders federal assistance for Florida and approves its state of emergency declaration

WASHINGTON — 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 Gov. 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 kilometers) 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.

Some Floridians evacuate as Helene strengthens

Hal Summers is taking no chances as experts warned that a tropical storm in the Caribbean Sea could strengthen into a major hurricane.

The restaurant worker in Mexico Beach, Florida, was headed inland Tuesday to stay with a friend.

In 2018, he barely survived Hurricane Michael, a Category 5 hurricane, which rapidly intensified and caught residents off guard before plowing a destructive path across the western Florida Panhandle.

When it hit, water began to rise inside his parents’ home. Summers waded through it with his cat in his arms to get to safety. Their house and his home were destroyed.

This time, he plans to ride out the storm in the town of Marianna.

He said, “That was such a traumatic experience that that is not the place I needed to be for myself.”

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Florida's chief financial officer says state will have a quicker recovery if Helene follows previous paths

If Tropical Storm Helene follows the same paths as two previous hurricanes that hit Florida in the past year, the state will have a quicker recovery and won’t take as big an economic hit, Florida’s chief financial officer said Tuesday.

That’s because Hurricane Idalia, which hit Florida in August 2023, and Hurricane Debby, which came ashore last month, took down vulnerable structures and trees that would have caused debris, said Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis.

Both storms made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region, where some models have Helen making landfall.

“When Idalia hit, debris was everywhere. When Debby hit, the debris wasn’t as great,” Patronis said during a news conference at a fire station in St. Johns County, Florida.

Patronis urged Floridians to take photos and videos of their homes to help ease the process if they need to make claims with their insurance companies because of storm damage.

“Your house may be a total loss, but now you have video evidence,” Patronis said. “You will have video evidence of what that claim needs in it so that you can be made whole.”

Georgia governor issues state of emergency ahead of Helene

ATLANTA — gov. Brian Kemp has declared a state of emergency in Georgia ahead of Tropical Storm Helene's potential impact

Kemp said the state would open its emergency operations center and designate 500 members of the National Guard who could be called up for active service as needed. Kemp also suspended some rules about limits on commercial trucking operations and declared that rules against price gouging are in effect.

Biden deploys FEMA to Florida and Alabama ahead of Helene

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Joe Biden has been briefed on Tropical Storm Helene and his administration is in touch with officials from states in the storm, the White House said on Tuesday.

“Federal resources and personnel are prepositioned, including generators, food, and water, along with search and rescue and power restoration teams. At the direction of the President, FEMA has also deployed teams to Florida and Alabama to embed with local emergency response personnel to support their efforts, as needed,” White House spokesperson Jeremy Edwards said in a statement.

FAMU postpones upcoming home game against Alabama A&M because of threat of Helene

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida A&M University postponed its upcoming college football game against Alabama A&M because of Tropical Storm Helene.

The Rattlers rescheduled the game for Friday, Nov. 29, in anticipation of Helene strengthening into a major hurricane Wednesday while moving north toward the United States. Several models have Helene making landfall just south of Tallahassee.

Florida State, meanwhile, might need to adjust its travel schedule before playing at Southern Methodist University on Saturday.

“We’re continuing to track that. There’s still a lot of information (to come),” Seminoles coach Mike Norvell said Tuesday. “Today is a big day for gaining more information of what could be our reality. I feel good about the plans that we have. I feel good about any potential adjustments, if necessary. But it’s something that we’re absolutely tracking.”

Helene formed into a tropical storm Tuesday in the Caribbean Sea. Hurricane watches were issued for parts of Cuba, Mexico and a stretch of the Florida coastline, including Tampa Bay, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. A tropical storm warning has been issued for parts of the Florida Keys.

Ferry service offered to tourists on coastal island of Holbox

MEXICO CITY — Authorities in Mexico are offering free ferry service to move tourists off the low-lying coastal island of Holbox. The offer was made Tuesday by Mara Lezama, the governor of the Caribbean coast state of Quintana Roo, home to resorts like Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum. Holbox is known among tourists for its tranquil, shallow waters and flocks of flamingos. It is easily flooded.

Tropical Storm Helene forms in the Caribbean Sea

MIAMI — Tropical Storm Helene formed Tuesday in the Caribbean Sea and could strengthen into a major hurricane while moving north toward the U.S., forecasters said.

Hurricane watches have been issued for parts of Cuba, Mexico and a stretch of the Florida coastline, including Tampa Bay, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. A tropical storm warning has been issued for parts of the Florida Keys.

The storm was located 170 miles (275 kilometers) southeast of the western tip of Cuba and had sustained winds of 45 mph (75 kph). It could strengthen into Hurricane Helene as it approaches the Gulf Coast.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in dozens of counties before the storm's arrival.

Florida governor declares state of emergency in most of the state's counties

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in 61 of the state’s 67 counties ahead of the storm expected to become Hurricane Helene. DeSantis is urging residents across a broad swath of the state to prepare for potentially significant impacts, from the rural Panhandle region down the Gulf Coast to southwest Florida.

In a Tuesday morning update from the state’s emergency operations center in Tallahassee, DeSantis said it’s telling that forecasters are already projecting the storm system may become a major hurricane — even before it’s technically formed into a tropical storm.

“The Big Bend and Panhandle should be especially prepared for direct impact,” DeSantis said.

2 dead after John hits Mexico’s Pacific coast

PUERTO ESCONDIDO, Mexico — Two people are dead after former hurricane John barreled into Mexico’s southern Pacific coast, blowing tin roofs off houses, triggering mudslides and toppling scores of trees, officials said Tuesday.

John grew into a major hurricane in a matter of hours Monday and made landfall about 80 miles (130 kilometers) east of the resort of Acapulco before declining to a tropical storm after moving inland.

John came ashore near the town of Punta Maldonado late Monday as a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (190 kph). It weakened back to tropical storm status early Tuesday with maximum sustained wind speeds of 50 mph (85 kph) and was expected to weaken rapidly.

Evelyn Salgado, the governor of the coastal state of Guerrero, said two people died when the storm sent a mudslide crashing into their house on the remote mountain of Tlacoachistlahuaca (TLAH-ko-chis-tla-waka), further from the coast.

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Storm walloping Cayman Islands expected to become Tropical Storm Helene

Heavy rains and big waves lashed the Cayman Islands on Tuesday as forecasters warned that a nearby cluster of thunderstorms could soon become a major hurricane en route to the southeast U.S.

Hurricane watches were in effect Tuesday 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. Hurricane conditions could be possible in parts of Cuba and Mexico early Wednesday and in parts of Florida late Wednesday and early Thursday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

“Now is the time to start preparing. If you’re in an evacuation zone, you should evacuate,” said Lisa Bucci, a hurricane specialist at the center. “Don’t be fooled by the way the storm looks at the moment. We are expecting it to rapidly intensify.”

She said people in regions under watches and warnings should be prepared to lose power and should have enough food and water for at least three days.

The disturbance is expected to move “over extremely deep and warm waters” that would fuel its intensification.

The disturbance is expected to become Tropical Storm Helene on Tuesday and then strengthen into a Category 3 hurricane before approaching the northeast Gulf Coast.

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