Hurricane Helene is forecast to rapidly intensify over the record-warm Gulf of Mexico before slamming into the United States’ Gulf Coast later this week. The storm has not formed yet but is expected to soon, so the National Hurricane Center has dubbed it Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine to warn of its imminent threat.

Most forecast models suggest a hurricane landfall on Thursday, and experts say the storm could be at least a Category 3.

A disturbance in the Caribbean Sea is expected to strengthen into a hurricane that will take aim at Florida midweek.