In a matter of hours on Monday, Hurricane Milton went from a tropical storm to a strong Category 5 hurricane. The National Hurricane Center measured its top sustained winds at 180 mph on Monday afternoon. It had been upgraded from a tropical storm to a hurricane late Sunday.
Hurricane Milton is now the strongest hurricane in the Atlantic since Hurricane Dorian of 2019.
The rapidly intensifying cyclone is spinning in the Southwestern Gulf of Mexico and drifting to the east.
Before it crosses the Gulf of Mexico and strikes Florida, it should remain a Category 4 or 5 hurricane for several days, but the National Hurricane Center forecasts it to be a Category 3 storm at the time of landfall. Before reaching Florida, Milton is expected to sideswipe Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. A hurricane warning is in place there.
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Monday afternoon, a hurricane warning was in effect for the west coast of Florida from Bonita Beach northward to the mouth of the Suwannee River, including Tampa Bay. Tropical storm warnings extended further north and south from there on Florida's Gulf coast.
Where is Hurricane Milton heading?
While a Florida landfall is almost certain, where along the Florida Gulf Coast remains in question. The National Hurricane Center said models are showing some disagreement on Milton's exact path.
"The track guidance is in good agreement that the hurricane will cross the Florida Peninsula, but there remains significant differences in both the location and timing of landfall," the National Hurricane Center said. The National Hurricane Center said.
How powerful will Milton be?
Hurricane Milton became a Category 5 hurricane on Monday, but forecasters say it might lose some of its strength before reaching the coast. The National Hurricane Center said that wind shear and dry air will cause the storm to weaken slightly from its peak intensity before making landfall late Wednesday or early Thursday.
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"The system is still likely to be a large and powerful hurricane at landfall in Florida, with life-threatening hazards along portions of the coastline," the National Hurricane Center said.
In addition to flooding rain and winds topping 100 mph, the storm surge could reach 8-12 feet in the Tampa Bay region, forecasters say. Such a storm surge would cause significant flooding in downtown Tampa.
In preparation for the storm, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended tolls on interstates in affected areas to assist with evacuations.
President Biden on Monday approved an emergency declaration for Florida, freeing up FEMA resources for emergency activity in the state such as evacuations and rescues.
FEMA administration officials met with the Mayor of Tampa, Florida, Monday to prepare for the storm's arrival. Officials said the agency is staging ambulances and high-water vehicles near Tampa and is preparing supplies of fresh water.
The White House said Monday that FEMA has enough funding to simultaneously respond to the effects of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton.
Earlier this month, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told reporters FEMA was already feeling the strain of a busy hurricane season and may not have the funds it needs to keep recovery efforts going through the end of the season.
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