Hurricane Milton: County-by-county timeline as category 3 storm set to make landfall in Florida

As Hurricane Milton is predicted to hit land on Wednesday, numerous counties in Florida have been advised to evacuate . The Category 3 hurricane is heading towards Tampa Bay with wind speeds reaching up to 145 mph.

Weather experts warn that this unique weather event will cause severe damage to several Florida communities . This comes just a fortnight after Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc in parts of Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina.

These areas are still recovering from Helene's record storm surge, and Milton's is anticipated to be even higher. Central Florida should brace for strong winds, heavy rainfall, lightning, and tornadoes as Milton moves across the state on Wednesday and Thursday.

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According to Fox 35, here are the counties expected to face the worst of the storm. Orange, Osceola, Polk, and Seminole counties are set to experience the harshest weather from Wednesday evening through Thursday afternoon.

This includes Orlando, where the Disney World parks are located . Wind speeds may reach up to 85 mph, and the area could see heavy rainfall, potentially between 8 to 10 inches, reports the Irish Star .

In Lake, Marion, and Sumter counties, residents should also prepare for severe weather on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning. They can expect strong winds of 85 mph and possibly 5 to 7 inches of rain. Brevard, Flagler, and Volusia counties are also on alert.

On Florida's eastern coast , in Brevard, Flagler and Volusia counties, the storm will peak from Thursday morning to Thursday evening. Winds could hit up to 90 mph, with residents bracing for a storm surge, beach erosion and tornadoes.

Rainfall could reach 10 to 12 inches. In Alachua, Dixie, Gilchrist, and Levy counties, the worst weather is expected Wednesday evening to Thursday morning, likely causing flooding with 4 to 6 inches of rain.