The National Hurricane Center Tuesday evening issued a tropical storm warning for the Treasure Coast, including Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties.

The National Weather Service on Tuesday upgraded inland tropical storm watches into warnings for most of Central Florida as what’s forecast to become major Category 3 Hurricane Helene approaches

Tropical Storm Helene is rapidly intensifying, with maximum sustained winds now reaching 50 mph. The storm is projected to become a hurricane on Wednesday and further escalate into a major hurricane by Thursday as it traverses the eastern Gulf of Mexico.