Helene is expected to make landfall on Florida's Big Bend this evening as a major category 4 hurricane, bringing the risk of catastrophic damage.

Hurricane Helene is rapidly "accelerating" toward Florida's Panhandle, according to a 4 p.m. ET update from the National Hurricane Center. Tropical storm conditions were recorded "across most of the West Coast of Florida," meteorologists said.

Helene -- which has strengthened to a major Category 3 hurricane -- is taking aim at Florida, where it's forecast to make landfall along the Big Bend area on Thursday night. Latest DevelopmentsSep 26,