According to the latest storm information from the US National Hurricane Center in Miami, Hurricane Milton weakened to a Category 4 hurricane on the morning of October 8. Milton has maximum sustained winds of about 250 km/h and is 136 km northeast of Progreso, Mexico.
The US National Hurricane Center said the latest storm of the Atlantic hurricane season is moving east-northeast at a speed of 19 km/h and about 900 km southwest of Tampa, Florida.
Earlier, on the afternoon of October 7, the US National Hurricane Center said Milton had exploded, strengthening to a Category 5 super typhoon.
NBC News forecasters say Milton could be downgraded to Category 3 before making landfall on the west coast of Florida on October 9.
According to CNN's latest hurricane report, Milton remains a Category 4 storm but is expected to strengthen back to a Category 5 hurricane on October 8 and continue to maintain this intensity through October 8. Milton is expected to make landfall as a Category 3 storm late on October 9.
"M Milton has the potential to become one of the most destructive storms ever recorded in west-central Florida. Milton remains a relatively compact storm, but the storm's wind field is expected to continue to increase in size as it approaches Florida. In fact, the official forecast shows the storm's winds doubling by the time of landfall," the National Hurricane Center's latest hurricane bulletin notes.
The hurricane center notes that Milton is completing an eyeyewall replacement cycle, meaning the process of re-upgrading to a Category 5 super typhoon will soon begin.
Typhoon replacement cycles are common in major storms (from Category 3 onwards). During this cycle, a large storm circulation on the outside of the storm develops and dominates as the inner storm circulation shrinks and dissipates. This leads to a slight weakening of the storm, but it also tends to increase the size of the storm. When the outer storm circulation begins to tighten, the storm may strengthen again.
Data on the development of Hurricane Milton shows that Milton is joining one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record, including Hurricane Milton rapidly intensifying from Tropical Depression 14 to a Category 5 super typhoon in less than 3 days.
Tampa Bay has not been directly hit by a major hurricane since 1921. US President Joe Biden has approved a state of emergency for Florida. About 7,000 federal employees have been mobilized to assist in one of the largest federal mobilizations in history, according to the AP.
Warning about the serious impact of Hurricane Milton, Tampa Jane Castor's Mayor emphasized: "If you want to confront Mother Nature, she will win 100%".
Earlier this week, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said the state was working 24/7 to clean up debris and fallen trees from Hurricane Helene before Hurricane Milton made landfall to minimize the threat from flying objects. Florida state leaders said Milton is expected to make landfall in Hillsborough or Pinellas County on the evening of October 9. A state of emergency has been declared in 51 counties in Florida.
