Tampa Bay residents should prepare for Tropical Storm Helene, local officials say, with the storm expected to become a hurricane once it enters the Gulf of Mexico Wednesday. What had been called Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine developed into Tropical Storm Helene Tuesday morning,

A storm system could soon become Hurricane Helene, and strike Florida later this week with winds as high as 115 mph.

Tropical Storm Helene formed Tuesday in the Caribbean Sea and could strengthen into a major hurricane while moving north toward the U.S., forecasters said. Heavy rains and big waves already lashed the Cayman Islands,