Hurricane Milton forecast to become a Category 4 storm before Florida landfall

Hurricane Milton, currently a Category 1 storm with 85 mph winds, is expected to strengthen before making landfall in Florida on Wednesday.

The National Hurricane Center forecasts that Milton will reach Category 4 strength, but weaken slightly to a Category 3 storm when it makes landfall near the Tampa area.

A Category 3 storm has wind speeds between 111 and 129 mph while a Category 4 storm's winds can reach between 130 and 156 mph.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a state of emergency in 35 counties as the storm takes aim on the Sunshine State.

“This system could become a major hurricane near or at landfall along the West Florida Coast by the middle of next week,” said DeSantis’ executive order.

The emergency declaration applies to the following counties: Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, DeSoto, Flagler, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechohee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter, and Volusia.

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Residents along Florida’s western peninsula should prepare for an increased risk of life-threatening storm surge and wind impacts as soon as late Tuesday or early Wednesday. Heavy rainfall is expected ahead of the storm.

Still reeling from Helene

Milton is approaching a little over a week after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm on Sept. 26, leaving behind a path of destruction as it moved up the East Coast.

When declaring the state of emergency for Milton, DeSantis said recovery efforts are still continuing in the wake of Helene.

“As many continue to recover from Hurricane Helene, I have directed [the Florida Division of Emergency Management] and [thr Florida Department of Transportation] to coordinate all available personnel and resources to supplement local communities as they expedite debris removal in impacted areas,” DeSantis wrote on X. “We will continue staging state assets to prepare for efficient search and rescue, power restoration, and roadway clearing.”

Helene wreaked havoc on several states, including the hard-hit Carolinas. The storm left at least 227 dead across six states as of Saturday. That number could increase further as recovery efforts continue.

RELATED STORY | Death toll from Hurricane Helene rises to 227 as recovery efforts continue