As Hurricane Milton churns in the Gulf of Mexico and threatens Florida’s coast, the National Hurricane Center says it is closely monitoring the storm’s path and strength.
Milton intensified rapidly on Monday, the NHC said, becoming a massive system in mere hours. With winds topping 180 mph by Monday evening, Milton was moving through the Gulf of Mexico as a very strong Category 5 storm.
Winds associated with Milton started dropping on Monday night, making the system a Category 4 storm by 2 a.m. Tuesday. As of the 11 a.m. Tuesday advisory, the NHC says Milton has winds of 150 mph, keeping it just below Category 5 status.
The NHC says Milton continues to pose an “extremely serious threat” to Florida and that Tuesday is the last full day that residents have to prepare their homes and families.
Forecasters say Milton will retain its major hurricane status and will “expand in size” before making landfall.
According to current models, Milton is expected to make landfall along Florida’s west coast on Wednesday night with slightly less intensity. While models can change a lot in the next few days, officials say direct impacts are expected in the Tampa area.
On the current forecast track, Milton is set to move just north of the Yucatan Peninsula Tuesday and start closing in on Florida’s coast Wednesday night into Thursday morning.
Landfall is expected Wednesday night as an “extremely dangerous hurricane,” the NHC said, urging people to “evacuate if told to do so by local officials.”
Milton watches and warnings
A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for:
West coast of Florida from Flamingo northward to the Suwannee River, including Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay
East coast of Florida from Port Canaveral northward to the mouth of the St. Mary’s River, including the St. Johns River.
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for:
Celestun to Rio Lagartos
Florida’s west coast from Bonita Beach northward to the mouth of the Suwannee River, including Tampa Bay
Florida’s east coast from the Indian River/St. Lucie County line northward to Ponte Vedra Beach
Marion County
Orange County
Lake County
Osceola County
Polk County
Sumter County
Flagler County
Volusia County
Brevard County
A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for
Sebastian Inlet to the Volusia/Brevard County line
Mouth of the St. Mary’s River to Edisto Beach
A Hurricane Watch is in effect for
Rio Lagartos to Cabo Catoche
Dry Tortugas
Lake Okeechobee
Florida’s west coast from Chokoloskee to south of Bonita Beach
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for:
Rio Lagartos to Cancun
All of the Florida Keys, including Dry Tortugas and Florida Bay
Lake Okeechobee
Florida west coast from Flamingo to south of Bonita Beach
Florida west coast from north of the mouth of the Suwanee River to Indian Pass
Florida east coast south of the Indian River/St. Lucie County line to Flamingo
Florida east coast north of the Ponte Vedra Beach to the mouth of the St. Mary’s River
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for :
Coast of Georgia and South Carolina from north of the mouth of the St. Marys River to South Santee River, South Carolina
Extreme northwestern Bahamas, including Grand Bahama Island, the Abacos, and Bimini.