Fast-moving Hurricane Helene is advancing across the Gulf of Mexico toward Florida and has been upgraded to a Category 3 storm. Forecasters say it threatens a “catastrophic” storm surge in parts of northwestern Florida, as well as tornadoes, damaging winds, rains and flash floods hundreds of miles inland across much of the southeastern United States. Landfall is expected Thursday evening. In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday morning that models suggest Helene will make landfall further east, lessening the chances for a direct hit on the capital city of Tallahassee. The shift has the storm aimed squarely at the sparsely-populated Big Bend area.