The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) has just issued an advisory that Hurricane Milton will continue to rapidly strengthen, reaching Category 4 intensity tomorrow (October 8). The storm will weaken before making landfall in Florida on October 9 as a Category 3 or higher storm.
Millions of people across the Florida peninsula are on alert as Hurricane Milton rapidly strengthens in the Gulf of Mexico. The storm is expected to reach Category 4 status and bring a wave of high surf, strong winds and heavy rain to the state this week.
"Milton is rapidly strengthening. Satellite imagery shows changes and signs of an eye beginning to appear," the NHC warned.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and other state officials held a press conference on the morning of October 6 (local time) and said that evacuations were likely. If Milton makes landfall in Florida, it will be the third storm to hit the region in the 2024 hurricane season, following Hurricane Debby in August and Superstorm Helene in September.
Milton's development was rapid. The NHC initially detected a tropical depression early on the morning of October 5 (local time), then issued a special tropical storm warning for Milton a few hours later. About 24 hours later, Milton strengthened into a hurricane in the early afternoon of October 6 (local time).
At this time, officials began ordering evacuations and closing schools to give people time to prepare and stay away from the coast and low-lying areas.
The Florida coast will be hit hard by Hurricane Milton this week. If you are planning to visit the area, be sure to monitor weather conditions and local warnings to prepare. Heavy rain and strong winds are likely to continue through the weekend.
