(NewsNation) — As Florida and much of the southeastern United States pick up the pieces left by Hurricane Helene, another massive storm is brewing in the Gulf of Mexico.
Hurricane Milton, now a Category 5 hurricane with estimated top wind speeds reaching 180 mph, is expected to make landfall on the Sunshine State sometime Wednesday.
Milton rapidly strengthened from a Category 1 to a Category 5 hurricane in less than 24 hours, becoming only the second highest-strength hurricane to form in the Gulf of Mexico since 1966. Forecasters warn the area could see a storm surge of up to 12 feet.
When, where will Milton make landfall?
The massive hurricane will make landfall midweek, with current models forecasting its arrival in the Tampa Bay area somewhere between Wednesday night and Thursday morning.
It’s expected to be the worst storm to hit the Tampa Bay area in a century. Two days out of its arrival, Floridians and tourists alike are fleeing the area.
Northbound traffic on Interstate 75 was bumper to bumper for miles, moving roughly 6 mph as Floridians and tourists alike tried to flee the state Monday.
Flights out of Florida will stop Tuesday, with Tampa International Airport grounding trips at 9 a.m. and St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport closing after the last flight that day.
Will Milton stay a Cat 5 hurricane?
Forecast models currently show Milton remaining at hurricane strength as it moves east across Florida toward the Atlantic Ocean.
That trajectory places much of Central Florida in the direct impact zone, though it avoids other states impacted by Helene, which has resulted in at least 230 deaths so far, with many still missing in the Appalachians.
Preparing for Hurricane Milton
President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration for South Florida to allow federal resources to assist state and local efforts.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis urged residents to execute preparedness plans, noting that there is still time to get ready, but it has to be done quickly. He also detailed efforts being made to protect critical infrastructure such as water treatment plans and to stock up on fuel ahead of the storm.
In a Monday briefing with reporters, DeSantis called the hurricane “ferocious” and emphasized the system’s rapid strengthening.
“At the strength it is now, this is a really, really strong storm. The effects of that, not just from the storm surge but from wind damage and debris, will be really, really significant,” DeSantis said. “This is not a storm you want to take a risk on.”
Less than an hour later, the U.S. National Hurricane Center issued storm surge warnings and hurricane warnings for almost all of Florida’s west coast.
The hurricane center also issued storm surge watches on the U.S. East Coast including much of Florida up to parts of South Carolina.
“If you are in an evacuation area, I beg you, I implore you to leave,” said Florida Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie. “Drowning deaths from storm surges are 100% preventable if you leave.”
DeSantis noted that people do not have to evacuate hundreds of miles and that those on barrier islands and in low-lying areas may be able to go to a shelter in their own county.
The state is preparing for the largest evacuation since Hurricane Irma in 2017, when 7 million people were told to evacuate. Tolls have been suspended to aid in evacuation efforts, and hotels are offering disaster rates, which also include accepting pets regardless of whether a hotel is usually pet-friendly.
NewsNation’s Steph Whiteside and The Associated Press contributed to this report.