Forecasters said Hurricane Helene will intensify rapidly over the next 24 hours and grow huge as it approaches landfall on Florida’s Panhandle. Residents began to flee ahead of the storm.

Helene is expected to rapidly intensify into a major and massive hurricane with 115-mph winds by the time it makes landfall Thursday.

Helene grew to hurricane strength Wednesday morning and was predicted to rapidly intensify to a dangerous Category 3 storm on approach to Florida’s Gulf Coast on Thursday. Forecasters warned that the powerful and unusually large storm could bring severe impacts to not only Florida but also to many other parts of the southeastern United States as it moves swiftly inland through Friday.