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Fort Myers officials warn of storm surge, strong gusts as Tropical Storm Helene moves through Gulf
Summary
City staff told council Helene will bring tropical-storm-force winds beginning late tonight, 3–6 inches of rain regionwide (locally up to 10 inches), and a 3–5 foot storm surge; officials urged preparations and said impacts could persist into the weekend.
Fort Myers officials delivered a weather-and-operations briefing Sept. 25 as Tropical Storm Helene moved north through the Gulf and expanded into a larger-than-average wind field.
"As of 5AM this morning, it was still tropical storm Helene just located, off the coast of Mexico, just between Mexico and Cuba," planning section chief Nicole Setzer said, summarizing the National Hurricane Center advisory. She told council the storm had maximum sustained winds near 65 mph and was moving northwest at about 9 mph.
Setzer warned that the storm's broad wind field would spread effects well away from the center, with tropical-storm-force gusts possible starting late tonight and continuing into Friday. "We expect rainfall amounts of 3 to 6 inches over the course of the next few days," she said, adding local cumulative totals could reach as high as 10 inches. City briefers also forecast a 3–5 foot storm surge that would peak tomorrow evening.
The briefing stressed that the city is on the "dirty side" of the system, meaning wind and rain impacts could be felt across the peninsula and that tornadoes remain a possibility in outer bands. Officials urged residents to treat the advisory seriously and to follow county and state guidance as conditions evolve.
City staff said they will continue to monitor updates from the National Hurricane Center and county partners and will provide new guidance to residents if the forecast changes.
