Officials have ordered all tourists to leave as well as all RVs. Mandatory evacuations also are in place for residents in Highland View, Wind Mark, St. Joe Beach, Beacon Hill to the county line and for the City of Port St. Joe for everyone from St. Joseph Bay to North Garrison Avenue and everyone from the bay to Garrison Avenue.

Hillsborough County was the first in Tampa's area to issue mandatory evacuation orders as Helene nears landfall. Here's what that means.

Florida braces for Tropical Storm Helene, with mandatory evacuations and hurricane watches in effect as the storm threatens to become a major hurricane over the Gulf Coast.