Tropical Storm Helene formed over the northwestern Caribbean on Tuesday and triggered a tropical storm warning for the Lower Florida Keys. The storm is forecast to be a major hurricane for the Florida panhandle Thursday.

Helene is expected to rapidly intensify into a major and massive hurricane with 115-mph winds by the time it makes landfall Thursday.

Forecasters say they expect Tropical Storm Helene in the Caribbean Sea to strengthen rapidly and become a hurricane as it moves north across the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday toward the U.S.