Milton could become major hurricane, slam Florida’s west coast; 35 counties under state of emergency

Just days aft Hurricane Helene made landfall successful Florida’s Big Bend portion arsenic a historical Category 4 storm, meteorologists are informing of different perchance life-threatening tempest that could deed the Sunshine State adjacent week.

Tropical Storm Milton, which formed successful the Gulf of Mexico aboriginal connected Saturday, is forecast to intensify as it approaches the westbound seashore of the Florida Peninsula implicit the adjacent fewer days, the National Hurricane Center said successful its 4 p.m. advisory connected Saturday.

The tempest could perchance deed the Florida peninsula arsenic a large hurricane by midweek.

4PM CDT Oct 5: Tropical Storm Milton is forecast to fortify rapidly and bring the hazard of life-threatening impacts to portions of the westbound seashore of Florida Tuesday oregon Wednesday. Make definite to cheque backmost for updates done the play and into adjacent week at… pic.twitter.com/ODXkMcuLAz

— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) October 5, 2024

Gov. Ron DeSantis connected Saturday declared a authorities of exigency for 35 counties successful the state — including Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and Orange County — citing existent machine modeling indicating that immoderate areas could spot up to 12 inches of rain.

“Heavy rainfall, flooding, and gusty winds volition origin powerfulness outages owed to downed trees and powerlines owed to the already susceptible authorities of Florida’s vegetation and coastal infrastructure,” the politician wrote successful the enforcement order.

By doing so, DeSantis directed the Florida Division of Emergency Management and the Florida Department of Transportation to “coordinate each disposable unit and resources to supplement section communities arsenic they expedite debris removal successful impacted areas” — adjacent arsenic astir of the authorities continues to retrieve from Hurricane Helene.

As Tropical Storm Milton continues to fortify successful the Gulf, I person issued EO 24-214 up of imaginable landfall connected Florida’s westbound seashore this week. This EO declares a authorities of exigency successful 35 Florida counties.

As galore proceed to retrieve from Hurricane Helene, I person directed…

— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) October 5, 2024

At 4 p.m., the halfway of the tempest was astir 220 miles north-northeast of Veracruz, Mexico, and heading toward the north-northeast astatine 3 mph, with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph.

“Steady to accelerated strengthening is forecast during the adjacent fewer days,” forecasters said, adding that Milton is forecast to go a hurricane by the extremity of the weekend, and could perchance “become a large hurricane” portion it moves crossed the Gulf of Mexico.

While presently determination are nary coastal watches oregon warnings successful effect, NHC officials accidental those successful the Florida Peninsula, the Florida Keys, Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula and the northwestern Bahamas should show the storm’s progress.

However, hurricane and tempest surge watches volition “likely beryllium required” for portions of the Sunshine State connected Sunday, officials said.