When will Hurricane Helene hit Mexico? Track the storm's projected path

Numerous tropical storm watches and warnings are in effect for the Gulf Coast of Florida as Tropical Storm Helene has officially strengthened into a hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The NHC said in its 10 a.m. CDT advisory Wednesday that Helene is currently located about 85 miles north-northeast of Cozumel, Mexico with maximum sustained winds near 80 mph.

A turn toward the north-northeast with an increase in forward speed is expected later Wednesday through Thursday, bringing the center of the storm across the eastern Gulf of Mexico and to the Florida Big Bend coast by Thursday evening, according to the hurricane center.

After landfall, Helene is expected to slow down and turn toward the northwest over the southeastern United States Friday and Saturday, the NHC said.

Additional strengthening is forecast, and Helene is expected to be a major hurricane when it reaches the Florida Big Bend coast Thursday evening, the NHC said, and although weakening is expected after landfall, the storm's fast forward speed is expected to bring "strong, damaging winds, especially in gusts, to penetrate well inland across the southeastern United States, including over the higher terrain of the southern Appalachians."

Live weather updates: Tropical Storm Helene to become major hurricane before landfall in Florida

Will Tropical Storm Helene hit Mexico and its beaches?

As of Wednesday morning, there is a Hurricane Warning in effect for Cabo Catoche to Tulum, Mexico, including Cozumel, the NHC said. Additionally, there is a Tropical Storm Warning in effect for Rio Lagartos to Cabo Catoche.

On the forecast track, the center of Helene is expected to pass near the northeastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula Wednesday morning and move across the eastern Gulf of Mexico later Wednesday and Thursday, according to the hurricane center.

Helene is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 4 to 8 inches over western Cuba, the Cayman Islands and the northeast Yucatan Peninsula, with isolated totals around 12 inches, bringing a "risk of considerable flooding," according to the NHC.

"Hurricane conditions, especially in gusts, are expected in the hurricane warning area in Mexico during the next several hours, with tropical storm conditions already ongoing," the NHC said in an advisory Wednesday morning.

Swells generated by Helene will affect the southern coast of Cuba and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico during the next couple of days before spreading northward toward the west coast of Florida and the northeastern Gulf Coast later Wednesday and into Thursday. The swells are expected to cause "life-threatening surf and rip current conditions," the NHC said.

Hurricane Helene tracker

Hurricane Helene spaghetti models

Illustrations include an array of forecast tools and models, and not all are created equal. The hurricane center uses only the top four or five highest performing models to help make its forecasts. 

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will Hurricane Helene hit Mexico? Storm tracks near Cozumel, Cancun