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.

Ron DeSantis has issued a "state of emergency" in Florida as Tropical Cyclone Nine looms off the US coast. The potentially dangerous weather system formed near western Cuba and is expected to develop into a hurricane by Wednesday as it moves across the eastern Gulf of Mexico.