(NewsNation) — Several parts of Florida are under alert as the state braces for Tropical Storm Helene to strengthen into a major hurricane before making landfall in the U.S.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has declared a state of emergency in 41 counties. On Tuesday morning, the storm was sitting in the Caribbean Sea near Cuba and the Cayman Islands and was expected to grow into a hurricane in the coming days, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Brad Reinhart, a senior hurricane specialist, said in a phone interview with The Associated Press that Helene could become a Category 3 by the time it reaches the Gulf Coast.

"People in the Florida Panhandle and the west coast of Florida certainly need to pay close attention," Reinhart said. "It’s a pretty aggressive forecast for intensification over the........

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