Jen Grice, the county's director of emergency management, said rainfall is likely to begin Wednesday night with 4 to 6 inches expected through Friday.

Shelters are opening across North Central Florida as evacuation orders are issued for residents ahead of Helene. The storm is expected to make landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast as a major hurricane. Statewide evacuation information here.

The Gainesville area could see tropical storm force winds as early as Wednesday night as Potential Tropical Cyclone 9 heads to Florida, according to the National Weather Service.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday said Florida is preparing for a direct hit from a major hurricane that could intensify quickly before it makes landfall in the Panhandle later this week. The National Hurricane Center predicted a tropical storm currently in the Gulf of Mexico will become Hurricane Helene as it moves north toward Florida by Thursday.

Tropical Storm Helene is predicted to rapidly intensify and grow as it takes aim at the west coast of Florida.

Forecasters warned residents along Florida’s Gulf coast of potential Hurricane Helene, which is expected to form in the next 48 hours and track toward an area somewhere between Tampa and Pensacola late in the week.

Florida has declared a state of emergency for the majority of the state ahead of potential Hurricane Helene as it heads west through the Carribean.