An area of thunderstorms in the Caribbean is expected to develop into Hurricane Helene and rapidly intensify over the exceptionally warm Gulf of Mexico before slamming into the United States’ Gulf Coast later this week as a major hurricane.

Forecasters warned residents along Florida’s Gulf coast of potential Hurricane Helene, which is expected to form in the next 48 hours and track toward an area somewhere between Tampa and Pensacola late in the week.

The National Hurricane Center said Monday afternoon that a major hurricane will landfall along the Florida gulf coast on Thursday.