Hurricane Milton Tracker: Storm Upgrades to Dangerous Category 5 as Florida Braces for Evacuations

Hurricane Milton Tracker: Storm Upgrades to Dangerous Category 5 as Florida Braces for Evacuations

Hurricane Milton rapidly intensified on Monday, escalating from a Category 4 to a perilous Category 5 hurricane with sustained winds of approximately 160 mph. The storm is headed toward Florida's Gulf Coast, still recovering from the recent impact of Hurricane Helene. Millions are now facing potential evacuation as Milton approaches the Tampa Bay area, where landfall is expected Wednesday evening.

During a press conference with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Kevin Guthrie, the state's director of emergency management, urged Tampa Bay residents to evacuate. “I beg you. I implore you,” he said. “Drowning deaths from storm surge are entirely preventable if you leave.”

Governor DeSantis announced that 51 counties in Florida are currently under a state of emergency. A request for federal support has been made to FEMA in anticipation of the hurricane's arrival. President Biden has declared a state of emergency in Florida, enabling federal assistance to aid state and local responses to Hurricane Milton.

In addition, the Mexican government has issued a hurricane watch for the coast from Celestún to Cabo Catoche and a tropical storm warning from Celestún to Cancun, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). Residents in Florida's peninsula, the Florida Keys, and the northwestern Bahamas are also advised to monitor the storm's progress.

Current Location and Path of Hurricane Milton:

As of 12 p.m. ET Monday:Milton was located about 125 miles west-northwest of Progreso, Mexico.

It was approximately 715 miles southwest of Tampa, Florida.

The storm had maximum sustained winds of 160 mph and was moving east-southeast at 9 mph.

The NHC warned of "an increasing risk of life-threatening storm surge and damaging winds" for parts of Florida's west coast beginning Tuesday night or early Wednesday. Residents in these areas should heed local officials' advice and evacuate if instructed.

Rainfall estimates for parts of the Florida Peninsula and the Florida Keys range from 5 to 10 inches, with localized totals possibly reaching 15 inches through Wednesday night. This could lead to significant flash flooding, urban flooding, and moderate to major river flooding, according to meteorologists.

The northern Yucatan Peninsula is expected to see rainfall of 2 to 4 inches.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Kirk has weakened to a Category 1 storm, located about 765 miles from the Azores, moving north-northeast at 23 mph with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph. No coastal watches or warnings are currently in effect for Kirk, according to the NHC.