Hurricane Helene is forecast to rapidly intensify over the record-warm Gulf of Mexico before slamming into the United States’ Gulf Coast later this week. The storm has not formed yet but is expected to soon, so the National Hurricane Center has dubbed it Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine to warn of its imminent threat.

The National Hurricane Center said Monday it is tracking a system in the Gulf of Mexico that could become Tropical Storm Helene in the coming days.