A tropical disturbance in the Caribbean Sea is becoming more organized and could become a major hurricane threatening Florida by the end of the week, forecasters said. Federal meteorologists said Monday the system is expected to move across the northwestern Caribbean Sea and into the southeastern Gulf of Mexico over the next couple of days,

Residents of Central Florida should anticipate heavy rains and gusty winds beginning Wednesday and continuing through Thursday as a tropical storm system in the northwestern Caribbean is forecast to strengthen into what would be Hurricane Helene as it moves north across the Gulf of Mexico,