Hurricane Helene formed near the Yucatan Peninsula as a Category 1 storm and is moving northwest at nearly 10 mph, according to data from the National Hurricane Center’s 11 a.m. report on Sept. 25. It is expected to make landfall as a Category 3 hurricane along Florida’s Big Bend region on the evening of Sept. 26. Maximum sustained winds are currently near 80 mph with higher gusts. Southwest Florida will begin seeing the impacts of Helene, including a peak storm surge forecast of 3 to 5 feet, later in the evening Sept. 25 through Sept. 27.