A hurricane watch and tropical storm warning have been issued for Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula just hours after the country’s Pacific coast was hit by Hurricane John.
Tropical Storm Helene is forecast by the US National Hurricane Centre (NHC) to strengthen into a major hurricane by tomorrow (Thursday) as it crosses towards Florida with sustained winds of 60mph and higher gusts.
The storm is expected to develop rapidly over the Gulf of Mexico with alerts spreading from the Mexican resort of Cozumel to parts of the west coast of Florida including Tampa Bay.
A state of emergency was declared for 61 counties in Florida, allowing state officials to make resources available to communities ahead of any potential storm impacts.
This came amid warnings of a risk of “considerable flash flooding”, storm surges and tornados over parts of the western Florida peninsula and southern Alabama.
“The risk of tornadoes will increase on Thursday, expanding across Florida and into parts of Georgia and South Carolina,” the NHC warned.
The Foreign Office issued a travel alert for the Yucatan Peninsula and updated its advice for Mexico’s Pacific southwest coast as Hurricane John was downgraded to a tropical depression.
“It is moving slowly and heavy rainfall is expected in the southeast of Guerrero, specifically in the areas near the coast and mountainous regions,” the Foreign Office said.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Office cautioned over heavy rain and floods in parts of Thailand, including widespread flooding in the north of the country.
“Local authorities have issued warnings related to areas near the Ping River, including in central Chiang Mai. Remain vigilant and follow the advice of local authorities,” the latest travel advice said.