Helene officially strengthened into a hurricane Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center said. Here's what we know about its forecast in Mexico.

Tropical Storm Helene promised to become a hurricane on Wednesday as it rapidly intensified in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, threatening to bring life-threatening storm surge to Florida within the next two days.

Tropical Storm Helene was expected to hit Mexico and Cuba on Wednesday as it tracked north toward the U.S., according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The storm could strengthen into a hurricane before it makes landfall,

Helene roared ashore Florida's Big Bend region as one of the most powerful storms to hit the United States, with officials fearing the hurricane would leave a trail of deaths and widespread destruction as it moved inland.

Forecasters are warning that huge Hurricane Helene will intensify in the Gulf of Mexico before making landfall in Florida.

Hurricane Helene is forecast to rapidly strengthen and could hit Florida on Thursday as a Category 4 storm, producing "catastrophic" winds of up to 156 miles per hour (251 km per hour), forecasters said.