Storm Helene is intensifying into a hurricane as it heads toward Mexico and Florida

Tropical Storm Helene has become a powerful hurricane and is forecast to become a dangerous Category 3 hurricane before hitting the US Gulf Coast on Thursday.

Forecasters warn that the superstorm could bring “life-threatening” storm surge, damaging winds and flooding to much of Florida and the southeastern US.

The US-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Helene was expected to pass off the northeastern coast of Mexico’s Yucatán in the coming hours and hit Florida late Thursday local time.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for nearly every state in the state.

Data from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration show that the storm’s maximum sustained winds have reached 80 mph (130 km/h).

At 12:00 GMT, Helene was moving northwest from its location east of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo.

Mexico’s weather service said it could not tolerate the fact that the popular resorts of Cancún and Cozumel could be hit early Wednesday morning local time.

Red flags warning swimmers not to enter the sea were flying off the coast of Cancún on Tuesday and fishermen rushed to get their small boats out of the water.

Local businesses boarded up their windows as heavy rain began to fall and the wind picked up.

Heavy rain from Helene is expected to affect western Cuba and the Cayman Islands.

The NHC said that when Helene makes landfall in the southeastern United States, it is expected to “produce a total of five to 10 inches” (12.7-25.4cm) of rain.

A flood watch has been issued from Florida to the southern Appalachians with the worst affected area predicted to be Florida’s Big Bend region.

Big Bend is the site of Hurricane Idalia in 2023 and the area was also hit by Hurricane Debby last month.

Florida Division of Emergency Management sent a list of states where voluntary or mandatory evacuation orders were issued before Helene.