Helene is, as of this writing on Thursday afternoon, a "dangerous major hurricane," and conditions are expected to rapidly worsen in the next several hours as landfall approaches. The west coast of the Florida peninsula saw storm surge and rain all day,

Potentially catastrophic rainfall is predicted for the southern Appalachians. Watch rivers rise on these USGS webcams.

As Tropical Storm Helene threatens to hit Florida as a major hurricane, here's a look at conditions in the Pensacola area and around the state.