Hurricane Helene is unleashing its fury on Florida with landfall in the coming hours as a major hurricane along the Gulf Coast.

Hurricane Helene, expected to make landfall as a major hurricane in Florida’s Big Bend region Thursday, could bring life-threatening storm surge to much of the state’s west coast. Federal forecasters have issued surge predictions in Tampa Bay higher than the region has seen in recent history.

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Hurricane Helene could bring record-level water levels and storm surge to Tampa Bay. Helene is continuing to strengthen and the winds picking up the water are producing roughly 50-foot waves in the Gulf.