Denis Phillips Thinks Helene Could Hit the Panhandle or Big Bend

Things can change, but as of tonight, ABC Action News Chief Meteorologist Denis Phillips thinks the storm that's firing up in the Caribbean will either hit the Panhandle or Big Bend. The models are starting to show some agreement and Denis say it's still possible the direction of the storm that's brewing could change, especially tomorrow or Tuesday.

Forecasters say a tropical depression could form as soon as Monday. While we had a calm weekend this weekend, as we get closer to next weekend, that's when things could really get interesting around here. This would be Tropical Storm or Hurricane Helene. Right now it's just "invest97l."

As for the timing of the storm, Denis feels like landfall could be late Thursday or Friday. As for the storm's strength, Denis says it's still too soon to tell. He has a son at Florida State University and told him to prepare to come back to Tampa midweek. Denis says if it's a Category 1 hurricane, he'll probably tell him to just stay in Tallahassee. Denis says some models are showing this could be a more powerful hurricane. So it's going to be a wait and see situation for the next 48 hours.

According to a social media post earlier today, Denis Phillips says that odds of development are now at 80%. He added, "Impacts on Florida are highly likely later in the week." We just don't know which part of Florida quite yet. So even though Tampa doesn't appear to be the bullseye right now, that could change over the next two days.

The National Weather Service tonight said development likelihood continues to increase, but ultimate impacts and location are still to be determined. They say at a minimum, moisture is expected to increase in Florida around midweek and that flooding is definitely a possibility.

It'll be here before you know it. Hurricane season is upon us and if Ian and Helene  taught us anything, it's better to be safe than sorry. Even though Tampa was barely able to avoid the worst of Ian, we still remember people scrambling to get last-minute supplies. Some waited in lines for hours for supplies only to leave empty-handed. Don't let that be you this year! In the case of a major hurricane or even a tropical storm, you should have these 5 things before hurricane season starts.

Experts say it's super important to build a storm kit before any type of disaster. Each kit may look different based on an individual's needs. These are the universal 5 items you shouldn't forget! We found all of these items on Amazon. If you think ahead and order these items now, you should be able to build your storm kit before hurricane season even starts. Anybody can remember to stock up on the essentials (bottled water, food, and batteries) but do you have these useful items in your home in case of a big storm?

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has also listed hurricane safety tips and resources so you and your family can be prepared. When shopping for supplies, you should grab enough items like water, food, and batteries, to be able to last you for at least 1 week. It also seems pretty obvious that every Floridian should own a battery-operated or hand-crank radio. If you ever lose power, at least you can still be kept in the loop with your favorite radio station. And by now, everyone should have a backup portable phone charger.

Remember when everyone was scrambling all over Pinellas and Hillsborough counties looking for sand bags? Most pick-up locations were only allowing people to pick up 2-3 bags per person, which is probably not enough to surround your house/belongings.

If you order these empty sandbags on Amazon now, you should have them by next week. It will make your life a lot easier to just drive to your nearest beach or causeway and fill the bags up that way.

We all know how crappy it is to lose power in the middle of a hurricane. In some cases, you may not know when it will be restored. Amazon has this really cool battery powered camping lantern with a fan for only $20. Reviews say that 1 set of D batteries lasted them over 10 hours.

If you live in Florida and don't have a decent pair of rain boots, now is your time to get a pair. If the thought of gross storm water touching your skin freaks you out, you should grab a pair of these knee high waterproof boots.

It's better to have something and not need it than to need something and not have it, right? Check out this mini water filtration system for just $22 on Amazon.

You don’t want to ruin important documents like social security, state issued ID and birth certificates, prescription medication, copies of insurance documents, to name a few. Bonus if you can convert other important documents to an USB flash drive! You'll want something big enough to hold all of your belongings, but compact enough to carry around in case you have to evacuate. Amazon has a great option, here.

This one may seem obvious, which is why we made it an honorary mention in case it does slip your mind. Remember how bored you were when you lost power from Ian? Some board games, deck of cards, or coloring books should help you pass the time, without killing your phone battery.