Helene is strengthening as it moves toward the U.S. Gulf Coast. It is expected to become a hurricane today and will hit Florida's Big Bend on Thursday.

Sign up for the Morning Brief email newsletter to get weekday updates from The Weather Channel and our meteorologists.Roads are flooding and power outages soaring in Florida as the state braces for significant damage from Hurricane Helene.

Hurricane Helene intensified into a major Category 3 hurricane on Thursday with 120 mph sustained winds, with the National Hurricane Center predicting it will grow further bringing devastation to