Helene is strengthing as it approaches the Gulf of Mexico.

The pit in my stomach is there. As a meteorologist, certain events cause that feeling because I know the potential impacts as well as my concerns about whether the public understands the consequences. I had this same feel about Hurricane Sandy (2012), Hurricane Harvey (2017), Hurricane Michael (2018), Hurricane Ida (2021) and Hurricane Ian (2022). Those storms caused catastrophic damage and loss of life. Here’s why Hurricane Helene is particularly worrisome.

As of early Wednesday morning, Tropical Storm Helene is on the verge of becoming a hurricane. Hurricane hunters flying into the storm continue to find signs of strengthening. In fact, it may be a hurricane by the time you read this. The storm is currently inching its way past the Yucatan Peninsula and will soon be in the Gulf of Mexico, where explosive rapid intensification is likely.

“Over the next couple of days, Helene will be moving through an environment of low vertical wind shear, ample environmental moisture, and over waters of high oceanic heat content,” the National Hurricane Center wrote Wednesday morning.

The storm is projected to make landfall south of Tallahassee on Thursday. Florida’s capital city,........

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