An area of thunderstorms in the Caribbean is expected to develop into Hurricane Helene and rapidly intensify over the exceptionally warm Gulf of Mexico before slamming into the United States’ Gulf Coast later this week as a major hurricane.

Hurricane Helene is expected to form Wednesday and strengthen into a major hurricane before reaching Florida’s Gulf coast from Tampa to Pensacola Thursday.

Florida Panhandle and Big Bend residents should begin their hurricane preparations as forecasters expect the storm to make landfall Thursday as a Category 2 or Category 3 Hurricane Helene. Here is the latest on Tropical Cyclone Nine.