Actualización en Español del Centro Nacional de Huracanes
UPDATE: Milton was upgraded to a Category 3 storm on Monday. Hurricane and storm surge watches have been issued for portions of Florida as of Monday morning. A state of emergency has been declared for 51 out of Florida’s 67 counties. Crews are working around the clock to remove debris from the barrier islands.
7:00 AM CDT Monday: Here are the latest Key Messages for Hurricane #Milton. Milton is now a category three hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph. Follow the latest at https://t.co/tW4KeGe9uJ pic.twitter.com/ml4vbQQrjr
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) October 7, 2024
Milton is expected to make landfall sometime on Wednesday and then cross the state bringing widespread impacts to the west coast of Florida first, and then to parts of eastern Florida.
As of 8 a.m. Monday, Milton was Category 3 storm with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph. It was located about 745 miles west-southwest of Tampa and traveling at 8 mph. Barometric pressure was 945 millibars.
A hurricane watch has been issued for Florida's Gulf coast from Chokoloskee (Collier County) to the mouth of the Suwanee River (Dixie County), including Tampa Bay.
A storm surge watch is in effect from Flamingo (southern end of Everglades) northward to the Suwannee River, including Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay.
A tropical storm watch is in effect for Flamingo to south of Chokoloskee, north of the Suwanee River to Indian Pass, and the Florida Keys.
Watches mean that the conditions are expected in the next 48 hours. Warning are typically issued 36 hours before those conditions.
Milton is expected to have winds near 130 mph as it approaches the central Gulf coast of Florida. However, there is still large uncertainty of Milton’s intensity as it approaches Florida. Some models indicate Milton could interact with significant wind shear, which could limit its strength. While some weakening is anticipated, Milton is expected to transition into a wide hurricane before landfall, with impacts spreading over most of Florida as it bisects the peninsula.
Key Messages from the National Hurricane Center:
1. Milton is forecast to be a major hurricane when it reaches the west coast of the Florida peninsula by midweek. Users are reminded to not focus on the details of the forecast as there remains significant uncertainty in the eventual track and intensity of Milton.
2. While it is too soon to specify the exact magnitude and location of the greatest impacts, there is an increasing risk of life-threatening storm surge and damaging winds for portions of the west coast of the peninsula beginning early Wednesday. Residents should follow any advice given by local officials and monitor updates to the forecast.
3. Areas of heavy rainfall will impact portions of Florida on Monday well ahead of Milton more directly related to the system expected later on Tuesday through Wednesday night. This rainfall brings the risk of considerable flash, urban and area flooding, along with the potential for moderate to major river flooding.
Florida residents should have their hurricane plan and follow subsequent forecasts and official notices or evacuations. Weather conditions will start to deteriorate for parts of western Florida on Monday, with the worst weather building on Tuesday and Wednesday.
As always, only get your weather information from trusted sources. Be prepared to act quickly if you are in an evacuation zone and are told to leave.
