Hurricane Milton is Category 5. Florida orders evacuation – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

Life-threatening storm surges are expected along Florida's Gulf Coast this week with the arrival of Hurricane Milton, which was upgraded to Category 5 on Monday afternoon Hurricane over the southern Gulf of Mexico.

The storm first strengthened to a Category 3 hurricane at 7 a.m. ET and quickly strengthened to a Category 4 hurricane at 9 a.m. ET, the National Hurricane Center said.

The NHC said in an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft data updated at 2 p.m. ET that Milton had strengthened to a Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of an estimated 175 mph and stronger gusts

A Category 5 hurricane has winds of 157 miles per hour or more.

The storm is expected to make landfall on Wednesday evening in Florida, where the country, like the broader southeastern United States, continues to recover from the effects of Hurricane Helene. Widespread evacuation orders are likely across Florida.

Up to 15 million people are under a flood watch across the Florida Peninsula and 11 million are at risk of tropical tornadoes tomorrow and Wednesday.

Milton has already gone through several rounds of rapid intensification – including 65 mph in 24 hours. As of 8 a.m. ET Sunday, it was a tropical storm with speeds of 60 miles per hour.

On the current track, Milton is expected to reach peak intensity on Tuesday morning. However, it is forecast to weaken as it approaches landfall, which would be between 6:00 p.m. ET and midnight late Wednesday, as it is a strong Category 3.

The biggest risk to Milton is storm surge. While it is not yet clear where exactly the center of the hurricane will make landfall, the strongest wave will occur south of the center and storm surges of 8 to 12 feet could occur.

The hurricane center issued a storm surge warning early Monday for Florida's Gulf Coast from Flamingo at the southern tip to the mouth of the Suwannee River, including Tampa Bay. A hurricane watch is in effect along the same coast, from Chokoloskee near Everglades City to the Suwannee River, while a tropical storm watch is in effect further west to Indian Pass.

“A storm surge watch means there is a potential for life-threatening flooding from rising water moving inland from the coast,” the agency said.

Milton will also dump more rain through Wednesday night, including up to 15 inches across parts of the Florida Peninsula and the Keys, making flash flooding likely.

As of 2 p.m. ET, Milton was about 105 miles west-northwest of Progreso, Mexico, and about 700 miles southwest of Tampa.

The Mexican government has issued a hurricane warning for the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula from Celestun to Rio Lagartos.

“On the forecast path, Milton is expected to move near or just north of the Yucatan Peninsula today and Tuesday, then cross the eastern Gulf of Mexico and approach the west coast of the Florida Peninsula by Wednesday,” the hurricane center said in its 7th am predicted.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a news conference Sunday that a 24-hour operation to clear debris and fallen trees from Helene was underway ahead of Milton's arrival to minimize the threat of flying objects. He said Milton was expected to make landfall in Hillsborough or Pinellas County on Wednesday evening and had issued emergency declarations for 51 counties as a precaution.

Hillsborough County issued a mandatory evacuation for evacuation zones A and B for all mobile homes and manufactured homes beginning at 2:30 p.m. Monday. These residents should be in a safe place by 7 a.m. Wednesday. Nine emergency shelters will open in mandatory evacuation zones.

Sarasota County on Monday also called for the evacuation of those in levels A and B (which include barrier islands) and in mobile or manufactured homes. Those living in Level C “should be prepared to evacuate if the storm intensifies.”

In the coastal town of Anna Maria, south of Tampa, the obligatory order begins around noon. Pinellas County has begun mandatory evacuation of long-term care facilities.

However, state officials emphasize that people can leave without an order. “Have a plan, execute the plan,” DeSantis said at the news conference. “You can definitely go now. You don’t have to wait until you get an evacuation order.”

Polk County, east of Tampa, has released a list of animal shelters, including three that are pet-friendly.

Many schools and colleges remain closed: All public schools in Collier County are closed Monday through Thursday.

The National Weather Service's Tampa Bay office warned that Gulf coastal counties such as Sarasota, Pinellas and Lee should expect “catastrophic wind damage.”

“Act now to complete preparations before winds become dangerous,” the office warned.

Milton is notable for its very unusual path approaching Florida from the west: since 1850, only two storms have originated in the Gulf of Campeche and reached Florida.

In addition, for the first time in recorded history, there are three hurricanes in the Atlantic at the same time: Kirk, Leslie and Milton.

Hurricane Helene, which made landfall in the Big Bend region of Florida on September 26, killed more than 230 people in six states.

Record warm waters, made more likely by climate change, will drive the rapid intensification of Milton as water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico remain 2 to 4 degrees Fahrenheit above average. In the warmer world, rapidly intensifying hurricanes are becoming more and more common.

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