The National Hurricane Center in the United States announced on Monday, October 7th, that “Milton” has rapidly intensified into a Category 5 hurricane.
According to forecasters in Miami, “Milton” is currently located approximately 735 miles (1,175 kilometers) southwest of Tampa, Florida, with maximum sustained winds of 160 miles per hour (250 kilometers per hour).
“Milton” is expected to make landfall along the Gulf Coast of Florida on Wednesday. The dangerous eye and eyewall of the storm could hit anywhere from Cedar Key to Naples, including the Tampa or Fort Myers areas.
Less than 10 days ago, “Helene” made landfall on the Gulf Coast of Florida as a Category 4 hurricane, bringing storm surge to the Big Bend region. Now, officials are urging local residents still recovering to evacuate or prepare for the equally life-threatening Hurricane “Milton.”
The storm is undergoing an unusually rapid intensification phase. Wind speeds have increased by 70 miles per hour since early Monday morning and by 95 miles per hour in the past 24 hours.
Following Hurricane “Beryl,” this is the second Category 5 hurricane of the season. In early July, “Beryl” became the earliest Category 5 hurricane on record in the Caribbean Sea.
Category 5 hurricanes are extremely rare. According to NOAA data, only 40 hurricanes in history in the Atlantic Ocean have reached such intensity. Prior to this season, there were only two Category 5 hurricanes in the 2020s: Hurricane “Ian” in 2022 and Hurricane “Lee” in 2023.