Watch live: Storm Helene heads north past Mexico's Gulf Coast

Florida and much of the Southeast were bracing Wednesday for a powerful blast from Tropical Storm Helene, gaining strength and forecast to make landfall Thursday as a devastating, Category 3 hurricane The National Hurricane Center warned that Helene would reach hurricane status Wednesday and rapidly strengthen over the eastern Gulf of Mexico. AccuWeather forecasters were predicting Helene could reach Category 4 strength in the Gulf, with maximum sustained winds ranging between 130 and 156 mph, before making landfall as a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 111-129 mph. The highest landfall probability was somewhere along the eastern part of the Florida Panhandle − including the Big Bend area, the curve of Florida's peninsula around the Gulf of Mexico − late Thursday, forecaster said. Near where Helene makes landfall, general rainfall of 8-12 inches is forecast, with two feet of rain possible in isolated areas.