Though Hurricane Milton is expected to weaken before hitting the Florida’s western coast later this week, forecasters warn the Category 5 storm will still be “large and powerful” upon landfall.
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. By Tuesday, Milton is expected gradually weaken while growing larger as the center said its intensity “should be dictated by any eyewall replacement cycles.”
The system on Monday evening was located about 650 miles southwest of Tampa, moving east at 10 mph; Milton is expected to continue moving the east and northeast Tuesday and Wednesday. Meteorologists said the storm is expected to move near or just north of the Yucatan Peninsula Tuesday before crossing the eastern Gulf of Mexico and nearing the west coast of Florida by Wednesday.
Heavy rainfall totaling 5-10 inches is forecast in some areas of a state still grappling with the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Up to 15 inches of rain is possible for some isolated areas, the hurricane center reported.
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.
Hurricane Milton tracker
Hurricane Milton spaghetti models
Illustrations include an array of forecast tools and models, and not all are created equal. The hurricane center uses only the top four or five highest performing models to help make its forecasts.
Contributing: John Bacon, Christopher Cann, Dinah Voyles Pulver, Jorge L. Ortiz and Michael Loria
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hurricane Milton tracker: See projected path, spaghetti models
