Hurricane Milton escalated to a Category 5 storm after fluctuating between Categories 4 and 5. The storm’s effects will be strong on Florida’s Gulf Coast, an area still reeling from the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

Hurricane Milton is approaching, with forecasts indicating water levels could rise as high as 15 feet in areas with onshore winds. The FOX Forecast Center has warned that this could result in a record-breaking storm surge, potentially the worst in the Tampa Bay region in over a century.

This concerning prediction follows the recent devastation caused by Hurricane Helene along Florida’s coastline. As of early Wednesday, October 9, 2024, Hurricane Milton was racing across the Gulf of Mexico, targeting Florida’s central west coast.

The National Hurricane Center announced that while fluctuations in intensity are expected as Milton moves across the eastern Gulf of Mexico, the storm is still projected to be a dangerous major hurricane when it reaches Florida’s west-central coast.

In a televised interview, she noted that many appeared to be following the advice, pointing to the heavy traffic on northbound highways as evidence of their response.

When questioned about those considering ignoring the urgent warnings, Mayor Castor delivered a serious message. She cautioned, “Helene was a wake-up call, this is literally, catastrophic. And I can say without any dramatization whatsoever, if you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you’re going to die.”

Meanwhile, CBS News Meteorologist Nikki Nolan shared that the latest forecast suggests Hurricane Milton would likely be a low-end Category 4 when it reaches landfall.

Hurricane Milton is positioned about 160 miles west of the Dry Tortugas and 300 miles southwest of Tampa, Florida, moving northeast at 14 mph. With maximum sustained winds of 160 mph and a central pressure of 907 mb, the storm is expected to hit Florida’s Gulf Coast later tonight as a major hurricane.

A Storm Surge Warning has been issued for Florida’s west coast from Flamingo to Yankeetown, including Tampa Bay and parts of Georgia’s coastline.

One user commented, “That’s absolutely terrifying.” Another echoed, “Terrifying 🙏 🤲.” Others, deeply worried about the storm’s devastation, shared sentiments like, “This will catastrophic 💔💔💔💔💔.”