Tropical Storm Helene is expected to strengthen into a major hurricane before landfall, bringing moderate wind and heavy rain to Bay County.

Tampa Bay area residents should prepare for potential hurricane conditions within 36 hours, officials say, with Tropical Storm Helene expected to become a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico Wednesday. A stretch from Pasco County north along the Big Bend to Mexico Beach in the panhandle is under a hurricane warning.

Another storm system is taking aim at Florida. Tropical Storm Helene, soon to be a hurricane, is sweeping up from the Caribbean Sea into extremely warm waters that are fuel for tropical cyclones.