MIAMI - Tropical Storm Helene has formed in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico, leading to the issuance of a tropical storm warning for the eastern coast of Mexico.
The National Hurricane Center said Friday afternoon that aircraft found the tropical storm about 90 miles (145 kilometers) east-southeast of Tuxpan, Mexico. It has maximum sustained winds of 45 mph and was moving northwest at 7 mph (11 kph).
The storm's center is expected to make landfall on Saturday. The hurricane center says the government of Mexico has issued a tropical storm warning for its coast from Barra de Nautla to La Cruz. Helene is expected to bring 5 to 10 inches of rain, with as many as 15 inches across northeastern portions of Mexico.
A storm surge will raise water levels by as much as 1 to 2 feet above normal along the immediate coast and to the north of where landfall is made.
Meanwhile, Portugal has issued a tropical storm watch for the central and eastern Azores islands as Tropical Storm Gordon moves eastward.
WKYC-TV