Category 2 hurricane forecast; expected to blow by Lee County
Governor declares state of emergency
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The National Weather Service is forecasting a Category 2 hurricane to pass about 100 miles west of Lee County late Wednesday night into early Thursday morning, bringing winds of up to 60-70 miles per hour and four to six inches of rain.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for 41 Florida counties, including Lee County due to the anticipated hurricane.
As of Monday, the storm was developing in the northwestern Caribbean Sea and was expected to turn into Tropical Cyclone 9, according to the National Weather Service. By Wednesday morning, the storm is predicted to turn into a Category 1 hurricane. It will then be named Hurricane Helene, National Weather Service meteorologist Rodney Wynn said.
Wynn said Lee County should begin seeing "increasing rainfall" Wednesday night. By Thursday, the hurricane is expected to strengthen into winds between 90 mph and 120 mph 100-150 mile off the coast. In Lee County, those winds will be felt closer to 60 miles per hour with potential gusts of up to 70 mph, Wynn said.
Deteriorating marine conditions off the coast along with an undetermined amount of storm surge is also in the forecast. Residents should expect flooding on local roads.
Wynn said meteorologists have not yet made a prediction on how much storm surge is possible for the region.
The hurricane is expected to make landfall in the Big Bend region north of Tampa on Thursday night.
Lee County Emergency Management announced they are “actively monitoring the tropics and working closely with state and federal partners, including the Florida Division of Emergency Management, the National Weather Service, and the National Hurricane Center.”
The county advises the public to monitor local media outlets, the National Weather Service-Tampa, and the National Hurricane Center. Lee County recommends signing up for AlertLee, an emergency notification system, and following Lee County Government and Lee County Public Safety on social media. Lee County will also be providing updates online at the county’s website at www.leegov.com
The county advises residents to develop a family emergency plan should include where you would evacuate - like a family member's or friend's home or a community outside the area. If you or your family member is in need use of a Special Needs Shelter during a severe weather event visit the Special Needs Shelter website to learn more about the program and to register: www.leegov.com/publicsafety/emergencymanagement/shelters/specialneedsprogram.
In the event of heavy rain, it will take the infrastructure time to drain, officials said, adding motorists should use caution and not drive through flooded roads.
“If the roadway is covered with water, take another route,” officials said.
The county asks the public to report blocked ditches, swales, canals and areas of local flooding. To find out if your road is maintained by Lee County DOT, http://leegis.leegov.com/RoadLookup/. If it is not maintained by Lee County, find your municipal contact by visiting www.leegov.com/dcd/flood. Put in a Request for Action (RFA) to improve surface water drainage along your county- maintained road by contacting Request for Action Hotline at www.leegov.com/dot/requestforaction.
People can use the same website to also report blocked creeks and streams (example: downed trees, collected debris). The reported information will be directed to Lee County Natural Resources.
As tropical storm activity intensifies, Lee County Solid Waste urges residents to follow these important guidelines:
• Refrain from cutting trees, doing major yard work, or placing large amounts of bulk waste at the curb, as excess debris strains collection services.
• Secure loose items that could become projectiles before any approaching storm.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is calling on all vessel owners to prepare and secure their boats for impending severe weather.