Hurricane Milton tracker: Storm strengthens again to Category 5; still 'extremely dangerous'

After initially weakening on Tuesday morning, Hurricane Milton has again intensified to a Category 5 storm as forecasters warn the storm will remain "an extremely dangerous hurricane" through landfall in Florida.

Milton intensified from a Category 2 hurricane into a Category 5 storm within hours Monday, generating winds of 180 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. On Tuesday afternoon, the storm was located about 520 miles southwest of Tampa, Florida, with maximum sustained winds near 155 mph with higher gusts.

In Tuesday's 11 a.m. update on Hurricane Milton from the National Hurricane Center , meteorologists expanded the storm surge warning along Florida's Gulf Coast and gave residents one final warning.

"Today is the last full day for Florida residents to get their families and homes ready and evacuate if told to do so by local officials," the warning said.

The hurricane center said Tuesday afternoon that a turn toward the northeast with an increase in forward speed is expected to begin later Tuesday and continue through Thursday. The center of Milton is forecast to move across the eastern Gulf of Mexico and approach the west-central coast of Florida through Wednesday.

"The center is likely to make landfall along the west-central coast of Florida on Wednesday night, and move east-northeastward across central Florida through Thursday," the NHC said Tuesday. "While fluctuations in intensity are expected, Milton is forecast to remain an extremely dangerous hurricane through landfall in Florida."

Live weather updates: Hurricane Milton a 'destructive' storm closing in on Florida

"Milton poses an extremely serious threat to Florida and residents are urged to follow the orders of local officials," the hurricane center said in an advisory Tuesday morning .

Rainfall amounts of 5 to 12 inches, with localized totals up to 18 inches, are expected across central to northern portions of the Florida Peninsula through Thursday, the NHC said Tuesday morning. Milton is also forecast to bring rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches across the Florida Keys through Thursday.

Even ahead of Milton's arrival, a potentially deadly storm surge of 10-15 feet is possible for Tampa and other coastal communities Tuesday through Wednesday night, according to the NHC.

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Contributing: John Bacon, Christopher Cann, Dinah Voyles Pulver, Jorge L. Ortiz and Michael Loria

This story was updated to add a video.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hurricane Milton tracker: Storm strengthens again to Category 5; still 'extremely dangerous'