National Hurricane Center forecasting the storm to rapidly intensify in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and strike Florida as a major Category 3 hurricane. As of the NHC’s 2 p.m. EDT advisory, Helene remained a Category 1 hurricane with 80 mph sustained winds about 110 miles north-northeast of Cozumel,

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 evacuate,