Hurricane Helene has strengthened into a Category 4 storm as it races toward northwest Florida and causes flooding on the Gulf Coast and power outages inland.

The hurricane’s predicted storm surge could be devastating in the coastal areas of Florida’s Big Bend, where the peninsula meets the Panhandle.

Energy facilities along the U.S. Gulf Coast scaled back operations and evacuated some production sites as Hurricane Helene is expected to bring catastrophic winds and storm surges to the northeastern Gulf Coast.