Milton has developed beyond a tropical storm and has now strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane. An advisory posted by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. EST stated: “Air Force hurricane hunters find Milton rapidly intensifying into a hurricane.”
Swells generated by the system have been impacting the coast of the southwestern Gulf of Mexico throughout the day. Per the NHC, “these swells are expected to spread northward and eastward along much of the Gulf Coast by early next week, and could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.”
Currently, a tropical storm watch is in effect from East of Cabo Catoche to Cancun. A tropical storm warning is in effect from Celestun to Cabo Catoche. Interests remain throughout the Yucatán Peninsula, Florida, the Florida Keys, and the northwestern Bahamas.
Hurricane and storm surge watches could be required for portions of Florida later on in the day, with the NHC warning that Milton “is forecast to rapidly intensify during the next couple of days and become a major hurricane on Monday.”
On Saturday afternoon, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a State of Emergency for 35 counties, writing that the storm will impact “communities still recovering from recent Major Hurricane Helene.” As of Sunday morning, that State of Emergency had been expanded to 51 counties.
In a press conference on Sunday morning about disaster preparedness, DeSantis focused on containing the effects of debris from Helene ahead of Milton’s arrival. He urged residents to prioritize preparation.
“We are using every resource at our disposal to help our local communities to get the debris out…this is all hands on deck,” DeSantis said. “This is not a good track for the state of Florida.”
As of Sunday afternoon, Milton is forecast to move north of the Yucatán Peninsula and to move across the Gulf of Mexico and approach the west coast of the Florida Peninsula by midweek. Maximum sustained winds have…
