Airlines, Cruise Lines Issue Travel Alerts Ahead of Potential Hurricane Helene

24.09.2024 - 18:57 / travelpulse.com / North America / Ron Desantis / Rich Thomaselli

Update: September 24, 2024, at 8:05 a.m. ET

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has declared an emergency for 41 of the 67 counties in the state as a potentially devastating storm continues to form in the Caribbean Sea with a trajectory toward the United States.

According to Weather.com, the storm system is expected to become Tropical Storm Helene on Tuesday before intensifying into a hurricane. The storm will bring wind, rain, and storm surge to the southeast before making an expected landfall in Florida.

Here's our GRAF model showing the path/movement of #PTC9, which will become major Hurricane Helene in the Gulf...A category three expected at landfall, which will be Thursday near the Big Bend part of Florida. pic.twitter.com/QKpUTG3pUr

The National Hurricane Center dubbed the storm Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine.

As a result, a hurricane watch is in effect for the Gulf Coast of Florida from Englewood to Indian Pass, including Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor. A tropical storm watch is in place to the north and south of the hurricane watch area, from Indian Pass to the Walton-Bay County line and from north of Bonita Beach to Englewood.

TRACKING THE TROPICS The Tampa Bay area is under a hurricane and storm surge watch as Potential Tropical Cyclone 9 is expected to strengthen into a hurricane by Wednesday.

LATEST TRACK: https://t.co/RzybrhDhw1pic.twitter.com/WhPWJ9lZ8t

The airline industry in the Caribbean has already started suspending operations for airports in the storm’s projected path, while carriers in the U.S.—including Delta and United—have begun issuing advisories and waiving change fees for impacted airports.

As for the cruise industry, the U.S. Coast Guard placed Port Canaveral on alert for an approaching hurricane and warned officials about potentially dangerous conditions. Cruise lines like MSC Cruises have already altered itineraries, with more companies expected to make changes.

Original Text

Is Hurricane Helene on the way?

The National Weather Center said that a group of disturbances could form into Hurricane Helene as early as Wednesday. Hurricane Watches have already been issued for parts of Cuba and Mexico, and forecasters are predicting the storm could come up the Gulf Coast and hid the southern United States.

Right now, it is known as Invest 97L. But it sure has travelers and travel companies keeping a wary eye.

“It could certainly become a major hurricane, which is Category 3,” Brad Reinhart, a senior hurricane specialist at the center, said in a phone interview. “People in the Florida Panhandle and the west coast of Florida certainly need to pay close attention."

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is taking no chances. He has already declared a state of emergency in 41 counties.

Reinhart said that it's