AA hurricane warning has been issued for Florida’s Gulf Coast, around Tampa Bay.

The storm is currently designated as Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine and is currently moving at 8 mph, but is expected to increase in speed on Wednesday and Thursday, The hurricane is rapidly strengthening as it moves across the unusually warm Gulf of Mexico before reaching the Florida Gulf Coast later this week as Hurricane Helene.

The National Hurricane Center, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), typically issues a warning 48 hours before the first tropical storm force winds are expected.

“The hurricane is expected to intensify over the next few days. The system is expected to become a hurricane on Wednesday and strengthen further on Thursday as it moves across the eastern Gulf of Mexico,” the hurricane center said at 5 a.m.

The Department of Transportation requires all airlines to offer customers a refund if their flights are canceled or significantly delayed for reasons within the airline’s control. But that rule does not apply to weather-related delays and cancellations.

Hurricane Helene: Airline Travel Advisories

In advance of the storm making landfall, major U.S. airlines are already issuing travel waivers that allow passengers flying to or from affected airports to rebook without paying the fare difference. For consumers looking to change their travel plans or recoup travel costs, much depends on the airline, the itinerary and, in some cases, whether or not travel insurance is purchased.

United Airlines has issued a travel warning affecting eight Florida airports. Passengers who purchased a flight by Monday, September 23, for a flight Tuesday through Friday, September 24-27, to, from, or through any of the listed airports can rebook for travel through Friday, October 4, without any change fees.

Delta Airlines has issued a travel advisory for 10 airports in Florida, as well as select airports in Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Mexico and Cuba. Travelers flying through the designated airports Wednesday through Friday, September 25-27, can rebook their tickets for flights scheduled no later than Monday, September 30.

JetBlue Airlines has issued a travel warning for four airports in Florida and one in Georgia. The airline will waive change and cancellation fees and fare differences for customers traveling Thursday and Friday, September 26-27. You can rebook for flights departing no later than Wednesday, October 2.

Southwest Airlines‘ Travel advice is currently in effect for two airports – Cancun and Havana – for flights on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 24-25. Passengers traveling through affected airports have two weeks to rebook their flights free of charge.

Frontier Airlines has a travel warning for passengers flying to Cancun on Wednesday and Thursday, September 25 and 26.

As of 8 a.m. Tuesday, American Airlines, Allegiant Air, Breeze Airways and Spirit Airlines had not issued any travel warnings for the storm.

Hurricane Helene: How to Avoid Flight Disruptions This Week

Flying this week? Passengers can do a lot to reduce the chance of getting stuck on a delayed or cancelled flight.

Most flight disruptions are caused by weather issues. Up to three days before your flight, you can get a heads up about potential issues by checking NOAA’s National Forecast Map. Hover over Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3 to see what to expect today, tomorrow, and the next day. It shows you at a glance where rain, thunderstorms, and other types of severe weather will occur on your travel day.

ForbesHurricane expected to hit Florida this week – Tampa Bay is under hurricane warning: Here’s what you need to knowBy means of Mary Whitfill Roeloffs

Arming yourself with this information can help you change dates or routes to create a better scenario. Perhaps you can travel a day earlier or later, or change a connecting flight to avoid problem areas.

Not traveling through Florida? It’s equally important to understand that weather in one part of the country can cause disruptions throughout the country, as airlines repurpose planes for multiple flights each day. Planes that are delayed on previous routes often fail to arrive at their departure airport on time at the end of the day. For example, a plane stuck in Orlando at 2 p.m. fails to arrive in Chicago for its 5:15 p.m. There’s a domino effect, with one delay leading to another.

As a result, afternoon and evening flights across the country are more likely to be delayed than early morning flights. If possible, book the earliest flight of the day to minimize the chance of disruption.

On the day of your flight, keep an eye on your airline’s app for flight alerts. Enter your flight details into the flight tracking app FlightAware and click on your specific flight. Then click the “Where is my plane now?” link just below the flight number. You’ll be able to see if the plane is ahead of schedule, on time, or behind schedule, and you can respond accordingly, often before the airline announces a delay or cancellation.