Milton becomes a Category 1 hurricane while Southeast suffers the effects of Helene

Tropical Storm Milton quickly strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane on Sunday and took aim at Florida less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene made landfall.

The hurricane is expected to make landfall on Wednesday afternoon. federal forecasters said.

The storm debuted as a hurricane early Monday after producing sustained winds of 80 mph and continued to strengthen, drawing fuel from the muggy waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

Forecasters said Milton would likely reach major hurricane status, equivalent to a Category 3, 4 or 5 storm, within a day or two. At least sustained winds of 111 miles per hour would be required to classify the storm as a Category 3.

The expansion of the tropical storm into a hurricane on Sunday meant that watches and warnings for rain, wind and storm surge were in effect for much of Florida's west coast less than two weeks after Helene raged through the Southeast.

Since 1850, only two storms originating in the Gulf of Campeche have struck Florida. If Milton follows his previous path, it would be the third.

It has been 10 days since Helene made landfall along the Big Bend coast of Florida on September 26 after sweeping north through the Gulf, causing a dozen deaths in Pinellas County and homes and businesses along the Tampa Bay peninsula damaged or destroyed.

Statewide, 25 Helene-related deaths were reported, while at least 234 people died in six states as a result of the storm.