Helene is expected to rapidly intensify into a major and massive hurricane with 115-mph winds by the time it makes landfall Thursday.

Forecasters say they expect Tropical Storm Helene in the Caribbean Sea to strengthen rapidly and become a hurricane as it moves north across the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday toward the U.S. The Nationa

Another storm system is taking aim at Florida, this time possibly the Panhandle with storm effects all along the Gulf Coast. Tropical Storm Helene, soon to be a hurricane, is sweeping up from the Caribbean Sea into extremely warm waters that are fuel for tropical cyclones.

Helene officially developed into a named storm Tuesday and is expected to make landfall along Florida’s Gulf Coast as a Category 3 hurricane this week.

Helene is taking aim at the Florida Panhandle, where it's forecast to make landfall as a hurricane on Thursday.

Florida residents are already evacuating and filling sandbags days ahead of anticipated flooding from Tropical Storm Helene