The Florida Senate will close its Tallahassee offices from Wednesday to Friday in anticipation of Hurricane Helene, an expected Category 3 hurricane.

Tropical Storm Helene was rapidly strengthening in the Caribbean Sea and expected to become a hurricane Wednesday while moving north along Mexico’s coast toward the U.S., prompting residents to

Forecasts for Tampa, Orlando, Gainesville, Panama City, Tallahassee, Macon, Atlanta, Savannah, Charlotte, Asheville and Nashville.

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.

The storm could come ashore as a dangerous Category 3 or 4 hurricane with a surge over 10 feet, winds over 110 mph and flooding rain.

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.