Thousands of Florida residents have been forced to evacuate as the state prepares for rapidly strengthening Tropical Storm Helene, which could bring powerful winds, flooding and life-threatening storm surge to areas already hard-hit by recent hurricanes.

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 has formed in the northwestern Caribbean Sea and is expected to rock the Florida Gulf Coast later this week as a Category 3 hurricane.  Current sustained winds are 50 miles per hour as it tracks northwest at 12 miles per hour.