The NBC2 First Alert Hurricane Tracking team continues to monitor Hurricane Helene as it enters the Gulf of Mexico.
As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, Helene is producing sustained winds of 85 mph and is forecast to become a major hurricane by Thursday morning.
For now, the storm's forward motion is to the north at 12 mph.
Ahead of the storm's arrival in the Gulf of Mexico, several Southwest Florida counties declared a local state of emergency on Tuesday due to Hurricane Helene.
Lee and Charlotte counties are under a Tropical Storm Warning and Storm Surge Warning. Click here for the latest.
MORE: NBC2 First Alert Hurricane Guide+
A Storm Surge Warning has been issued.
A storm surge warning means that life-threatening levels of storm surge are possible in the advised area within the next 36 hours.
For coastal Collier, Lee and Charlotte County, storm surge could peak between 3-5 feet.
Because of the risk of storm surge, evacuations orders have been issued on Charlotte County's barrier islands.
If you live in an area prone to storm surge flooding it would be advised you find a safe place to be away from the immediate coastline on Thursday.
The forecast cone released on this system shown above, indicates the system becoming as strong as a Category 4 hurricane when off the Southwest Florida coast on Thursday.
After that, the storm is likely to remain a major hurricane as its center moves toward the northeast Gulf of Mexico. It is still expected to become a major hurricane at landfall, sometime Thursday afternoon or evening.
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A Tropical Storm Warning is active for all of Southwest Florida. This means tropical storm-force winds will be expected within the next 36 hours.
The wind threat to our area will increase the farther east the storm tracks and decrease the farther west the storm tracks. Expect gusts as high as 40 to 60 mph on Thursday with calmer conditions returning heading into the weekend.
Computer forecast models are in good agreement that the storm will make landfall on Florida's Big Bend or Panhandle.
Times of gusty thunderstorms along rain bands are likely to start as early as late Wednesday and then persisting through Thursday when the most impactful weather would be in our area.
Given the current data, there is the potential of rainfall totals to range from 3 to 5" in areas of western Collier, western Lee and western Charlotte Counties. Keep in mind our region is particularly vulnerable to flooding coming off our wettest summer on record, running 15 inches above average for the year so far.
Storm surge will also be a concern, primarily on Thursday when winds around the hurricane are likely to be onshore in our community.
School officials in Charlotte County announced Tuesday that school will be closed due to the expected arrival of Helene this week.
"In response to the approaching storm Helene, Charlotte County Public Schools will be closed on Thursday, September 26, and Friday, September 27 , to ensure the safety of students and staff. This decision has been made in coordination with local emergency management officials and is part of the district’s commitment to safeguarding the community," the district said in a statement.
Sandbags are also being made available across much of Southwest Florida. A list of sandbag locations can be found here .
Elsewhere in the tropics, we're also keeping tabs on a tropical wave off the west coast of Africa with an 80 percent chance for development. Another area in the central subtropical Atlantic has a low chance for development but is tracking east, away from the U.S.
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