TALLAHASSEE - Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday expanded a declared state of emergency to 61 of the state's 67 counties with only some counties in Southeast Florida excluded as Tropical Storm Helene heads toward Florida and is expected to rapidly grow into a powerful hurricane Wednesday in the Gulf of Mexico.

What does it mean when the governor of a state declares a state of emergency? When it's a storm like the soon-to-be-Helene, things start moving fast.

As Florida braces for Helene, find out how the state of emergency impacts everything from prescription refills to insurance claims.

Florida expands its state of emergency to 61 counties in preparation for an incoming storm that could become a hurricane.

Gov. Ron DeSantis reassured Tallahassee residents that the response to Hurricane Helene wouldn’t be a replay of Hurricane Hermine in 2016.

The storm’s center was near Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula on Wednesday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said, and it was expected to intensify and grow in size as it crosses the Gulf

This system is forecast to become a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico before making landfall along the Florida Panhandle.

Governor Ron DeSantis expanded an emergency declaration to 61 counties on Tuesday as Potential Tropical Cyclone 9 moves toward Florida. The forecast currently has PTC 9 getting up to a Category 3 hurricane as it approaches landfall by Thursday in the Big Bend of Florida.