Hurricane Helene is gaining strength and is expected to rapidly intensify as it approaches Florida on Thursday. The National Hurricane Center says the storm will bring "catastrophic" winds and storm surge to the northeastern Gulf coast.

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.

According to the National Hurricane Center, the highest chance of tropical development over the next week is in the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico.