Category 2 Hurricane Helene Barrels Toward Florida

Helene has intensified into a Category 2 hurricane and is on track to make landfall in Florida's Big Bend area. The storm will affect regions as far as 90 miles north of the Georgia-Florida line, with potential rainfall extending to Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana.

Helene strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane Thursday as it barrelled across the Gulf of Mexico on a path to Florida.

The huge storm's centre is expected to make landfall in the Big Bend area of Florida's northwestern coast as soon as late Thursday.

The storm is so large that areas roughly 90 miles (145 km) north of the Georgia-Florida line could expect hurricane conditions. States as far inland as Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana could see rainfall.

Helene became a tropical storm Tuesday in the western Caribbean Sea and became a hurricane Wednesday.

(With inputs from agencies.)