Evacuations are underway and time is running out for Floridians to prepare for Tropical Storm Helene, which threatens to hit as the strongest storm to make landfall in the United States in over a year.

Hurricane watches have been issued for parts of Cuba, Mexico and part of the Florida coastline, including Tampa Bay.

A hurricane watch and warnings of storm surges up to 15 feet high were issued Tuesday for almost all of Florida's western coastline as Tropical Storm Helene formed over the Caribbean Sea and heads toward the Gulf Coast.