Hurricane Helene is forecast to quickly intensify as it emerges into the Gulf of Mexico, becoming a major hurricane before landfall late Thursday along Florida's Big Bend region, not far from Apalachicola. In anticipation of the storm's impacts, Georgia's governor issued a State of Emergency to free up resources.

Helene prompted hurricane and flash flood warnings extending far beyond the coast up into northern Georgia and western North Carolina.

Calling it the largest storm to ever hit Florida’s Big Bend region, the American Red Cross is urging Americans to rush donations to their organization as recovery efforts in Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina,