"Live Updates: Milton Approaches Florida As A Category 5 Hurricane"

"Hurricane Milton was upgraded back to a Category 5 storm as it churns toward Florida’s west coast. The Tampa Bay area, home to more than 3.3 million people, faced the possibility of widespread destruction after avoiding direct hits from major hurricanes for more than a century.

Eleven Florida counties, home to about 5.9 million people, were under mandatory evacuation orders as of Tuesday afternoon. Officials are warning residents not to bank on the storm weakening.

Milton is expected to make landfall on the west coast of Florida late Wednesday as a Category 3 storm, which have winds of 111-129 mph (180-210 kph).

The storm is forecast to cross central Florida and to dump as much as 18 inches (46 centimeters) of rain while heading toward the Atlantic Ocean. That track would largely spare other states ravaged by Helene, which killed at least 230 people on its path from Florida to the Carolinas."

The Associated Press had the story October 9, 2024.

SEE ALSO:

"Millions On The Move: Massive Evacuation Underway As Floridians Flee Hurricane Milton" (Tallahassee Democrat)

"Hurricane Milton Barrels Toward Florida, Could Be One Of Most Destructive Storms On Record" (CNN)

"Hurricane Milton To Make Landfall In Florida Tonight With Life-Threatening Storm Surge, Winds, Flooding" (Weather Channel)