The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Wednesday that the hurricane is about 500 miles southwest of Tampa, Florida, with sustained winds of 80 mph.

The Gulf Coast is bracing for a major hurricane landfall late this week as Tropical Storm Helene is forecast to rapidly intensify into a Category 3 storm on a path for the Florida coast. Residents were already evacuating and filling sandbags Tuesday,

TAMPA, Fla. — Helene has officially strengthened into a hurricane as it continues to track toward the Florida coast.