HUDSON, Fla. — It's official — Jim Cantore is in Florida ahead of Helene, which is forecast to become a major hurricane before making landfall somewhere along Florida's Gulf Coast.
On Tuesday, The Weather Channel said the famed hurricane harbinger touched down in Pasco County. Cantore and several other Weather Channel meteorologists were dispatched to Florida's West Coast to cover the tropical system.
Early Wednesday morning, the Facebook group called "Tracking Jim Cantore" had a post indicating Cantore is in Hudson.
"Not every day you get to meet Jim Cantore in little old Hudson, FL!" group member April Scott wrote.
Where is Jim Cantore?
Right now, Jim Cantore is reportedly in Pasco County, Florida. The Weather Channel says he is stationed in Port Richey and he's been reportedly spotted in nearby Hudson.
What's going on with Helene?
The latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center says Helene is expected to become a hurricane sometime Wednesday. Then, it'll "rapidly strengthen" to major hurricane status on Thursday before it makes landfall somewhere along Florida's Gulf Coast.
The first rain bands are expected to hit late Wednesday and could bring severe weather. As the storm passes parallel to the Tampa Bay area Thursday, it could bring storm surge later in the day. For Friday, winds are expected to shift out of the southwest as the system moves out of the area. Flooding and surge will continue to be a major concern until conditions return to normal Saturday.
Some Tampa Bay area counties, including Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough and Pasco have issued mandatory evacuation orders ahead of the storm's landfall.
