Tropical Storm Helene is expected to unleash mudslides and flooding in Cuba before reaching major hurricane strength on Thursday as it hits Florida with life-threatening ocean surge, the U.S. National Weather Service said.

Tropical Storm Helene is expected to unleash mudslides and flooding in Cuba before reaching major hurricane strength on Thursday as it hits Florida with life-threatening ocean surge, the U.S. National Weather Service said.

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

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

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday said Florida is preparing for a direct hit from a major hurricane that could intensify quickly before it makes landfall in the Panhandle later this week. The National Hurricane Center predicted a tropical storm currently in the Gulf of Mexico will become Hurricane Helene as it moves north toward Florida by Thursday.

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.

The path of Hurricane Helene has shifted slightly as the major storm draws closer to Florida, forecasters have said. The rapidly intensifying storm is expected to hit Florida on Thursday evening, with its path now shifting slightly to the west.