Polk County residents should brace for Hurricane Helene to bring stronger winds, but potentially less rain than anticipated to the region Thursday. While Helene has strengthened to a Category 2 hurricane moving north across the Gulf of Mexico in the past 24 hours,

A tropical storm watch was issued for Polk County. Tropical Storm Helene is expected to strengthen into a major hurricane before landfall Thursday.

Tropical Storm Helene is making its way to Florida, and it's already having an impact. Polk County Public Schools on Tuesday announced that school will be canceled on Thursday and Friday and that after-school activities on Wednesday will have to wrap up by 6 p.m.