ORLANDO, Fla. – Hurricane Milton continues to move through the Gulf of Mexico on a path toward Florida’s Gulf Coast as a major hurricane.
As of 5 a.m. Wednesday, Milton is a Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds near 160 mph. While fluctuations in intensity are expected, Milton is forecast to remain an extremely dangerous major hurricane through landfall in Florida.
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The storm is moving northeast at 14 mph and is expected to approach the west-central coast of Florida. The center is likely to make landfall along the west-central coast of Florida late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning, and move off the east coast of Florida over the Atlantic Ocean Thursday afternoon.
The NHC predicted Milton, a monstrous Category 5 hurricane during much of its approach, would likely weaken slightly but remain a major hurricane when it makes landfall late Wednesday.
The hurricane is about 300 miles southwest of Tampa right now.
Milton will bring the potential for strong damaging winds, considerable rainfall, the threat of flooding, tornadoes and coastal storm surge through the duration of the storm.
Regardless of the track, Central Floridians need to be prepared for hurricane conditions by Wednesday through Thursday.
Forecasters predicted the storm will retain hurricane strength as it crosses central Florida on Thursday on a path east toward the Atlantic Ocean. The hurricane’s precise track remained uncertain, as forecasters Tuesday evening nudged its projected path slightly south of Tampa.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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