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.

Tallahassee, Fla. — Helene strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane Thursday as it barreled across the Gulf of Mexico on a path to Florida. The huge storm’s center is expected to make landfall in the Big Bend area of Florida’s northwestern coast as soon as late Thursday.