(This story was updated to add new information. )
The National Hurricane Center late Wednesday morning upgraded Helene to a Category 1 hurricane as the storm continued its rapid journey toward the Florida Gulf Coast.
As of of 10 a.m. Helene had sustained winds of 80 mph and was moving north-northwest away from Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and toward the U.S. mainland at a brisk 10 mph.
Additional strengthening is forecast as the hurricane feeds of the very warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and Helene could strengthen to a dangerous Category 3 storm before making landfall somewhere around the Florida panhandle Thursday evening, according to the hurricane center. Storm surge in parts of the Sunshine State’s Big Bend area could reach 15 feet, with wind gusts potentially reaching well into the triple digits. Areas along the Florida west coast, including Tampa Bay also could see major storm surge and wind impacts.
While impacts as strong as that won’t be felt in Southeastern North Carolina, emergency officials said Wilmington-area residents need to keep an eye on the storm even though it’s expected path would take it north after landfall into Atlanta, Western North Carolina, Tennessee and then the Ohio Valley.