Helene is expected to rapidly intensify into a major and massive hurricane with 115-mph winds by the time it makes landfall Thursday.

Tropical Storm Helene is set to enter the Gulf of Mexico Wednesday afternoon. From there, it’s on a dead sprint to go from tropical storm to Category 3 hurricane — or stronger — in just over 24 hours.

You can expect wind gusts and rain in South Florida this week, the fringe effects of what’s expected to become Hurricane Helene, the system moving north and approaching the Gulf Coast.