A hurricane watch has been issued for Florida's west coast as the storm approaches.

A hurricane watch and storm surge warnings, with potential surges up to 15 feet, were issued Tuesday for nearly all of Florida’s western coastline as a potential tropical storm moves across the Caribbean Sea towards the Gulf Coast. Currently designated as Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine, the system is expected to strengthen into a hurricane by Wednesday, with authorities urging residents to prepare and take precautions. The hurricane watch covers areas from Indian Pass in northwest Florida, near Panama City, down to Englewood, including Tampa Bay. As of 8 a.m. ET, the system was approximately 150 miles west of Grand Cayman, with sustained winds of 35 mph, moving northwest at 9 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. Once classified as a storm, it will be named Helene, making it the fourth hurricane to impact the U.S. this year. The center of the potential cyclone is expected to move across the northwestern Caribbean Sea through Tuesday night and into the eastern Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday and Thursday, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). Hurricane and tropical storm watches are now in effect for the entire western coast of Florida. Additionally, a storm surge watch has been issued from Indian Pass, Florida, south to Flamingo at the southern tip of the state. A hurricane watch signifies that hurricane conditions are possible and is typically issued 48 hours before the anticipated arrival of tropical-storm-force winds. A tropical storm watch is also in place from Indian Pass to the Walton-Bay County line, and from north of Bonita Beach to south of Englewood, as well as for the Lower Florida Keys. Outside the U.S., a hurricane watch is in effect for parts of eastern Mexico, from Cabo Catoche to Tulum, and for Pinar del Río in Cuba. Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine is forecast to bring 4 to 8 inches of rain to western Cuba and the Cayman Islands, with isolated totals of up to 12 inches. In the southeastern U.S., rainfall is expected to range from 3 to 6 inches, with localized amounts of up to 10 inches, potentially causing flash and urban flooding. Storm surge and strong tides are also expected to cause coastal flooding, the NHC warned. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in 41 counties on Monday, expanding it to 61 counties by Tuesday. Sandbags are being distributed in cities like Tallahassee, Gulfport, and Henrico County in preparation for potential flooding. DeSantis has requested a pre-landfall emergency declaration from FEMA, warning that while some models predict the system developing into a tropical storm, others suggest it could intensify into a Category 4 major hurricane. Models indicate that Florida's Big Bend and Panhandle regions could face a direct impact from the approaching storm, according to officials. Residents are being urged to prepare by filling up gas tanks, stocking up on food, securing their yards to prevent debris from becoming hazardous in strong winds, and familiarizing themselves with local evacuation zones. So far, 18,000 utility workers are on standby to restore power, while 3,000 National Guard soldiers and the Florida State Guard have been activated, along with shallow water vessels and search-and-rescue crews, to assist in response efforts. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has predicted an extremely active hurricane season, forecasting 17 to 24 named storms, with 8 to 13 potentially developing into hurricanes, and 4 to 7 of those becoming major hurricanes. The hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30. Factors contributing to the heightened activity include warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic and Caribbean, reduced wind shear, weaker Atlantic trade winds, and an intensified West African monsoon.

In the case of Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine, record-high water temperatures are expected to fuel its rapid intensification. According to Climate Central, the exceptionally warm sea surface temperatures along the storm's projected path through the Northern Caribbean and Eastern Gulf of Mexico have been made 200 to 500 times more likely due to human-caused climate change. Rapidly intensifying hurricanes are increasingly common in this warmer climate. The most recent hurricanes to impact the U.S. were Beryl, which made landfall in Texas in June, Debby, which struck Florida's Big Bend and South Carolina in August, and Francine, which hit Louisiana on September 11. Should this disturbance develop into a hurricane, it would be the fifth to make landfall in Florida in just three years, according to the Florida Climate Center.