Helene rapidly intensified into a hurricane Wednesday as it plows toward a Florida landfall as the strongest hurricane to hit the US in over a year. The storm will also grow into a massive, sprawling monster as it continues to intensify,

Helene rapidly strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane Wednesday. The storm gained hurricane strength as it passed near Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula late Wednesday morning. The National Hurricane Center said the storm is expected to “intensify and grow in size” as it moves north across the Gulf of Mexico.

An example of a Category 3 hurricane is Hurricane Wilma, which made landfall in South Florida in 2005. The storm, which the NHC described as “massive and powerful,” caused an estimated $16.9 billion in widespread damages. It also caused 10 tornadoes and killed 5 people in Florida.