Florida Governor Ron DeSantis just finished giving an update on preparations ahead of Hurricane Milton.  Replay Video Below.  There are multiple mandatory evacuations taking place along the western coast of Florida.

Milton came on the scene on Saturday as a tropical storm. Early Monday morning, Milton kicked off a rapid intensification starting as a Category 2 storm. By noon, the storm had strengthened to a large Category 5 hurricane, the National Hurricane Center said.  Florida state preparations are ongoing.

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More info to follow later….

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Hurricane Milton has intensified in the Eastern Gulf and is expected to gain strength over the next 24 hours.  On the positive side, most predictions have rapid deintensification in their models in the final 12 hours before landfall.  However, there are major variables still to be understood.

Overall, all interests on the west coast of Florida should use the next two days to complete preparation.  Today and tomorrow look like the best opportunity to secure property and prepare for a landfall event sometime late Wednesday/Thursday morning. The exact area of impact remains unknown.

(NHC) – […] An eastward to east-southeastward motion is forecast through tonight, followed by a turn toward the east and northeast on Tuesday and Wednesday. On the forecast track, Milton is forecast 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.

Maximum sustained winds are now near 100 mph (155 km/h) with higher gusts. Milton is forecast to intensify rapidly and become a major hurricane later today. (read more)

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As anticipated, Tropical Storm Milton is now Hurricane Milton with top winds of 80 mph.  In the past 24 hrs., Milton slowed down a bit, wobbled a little south, and gained strength about a half-day earlier than predicted.   The probability cone shifted a little south and the center consensus is now just south of Tampa in the Sarasota area.

As mentioned last night, this storm is going to be unique in contrast of condition between the areas immediately North and South of the storm.  There are far too many variables for any accurate assessment at the moment; however, all interests should pay close attention.  As a result of the slowing, the prudent evacuation timeline has moved from Tuesday morning to Tuesday afternoon.

(NHC) – At 100 PM CDT (1800 UTC), the center of Hurricane Milton was located by an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft near latitude 22.5 North, longitude 94.0 West. Milton is moving toward the east near 6 mph (9 km/h), and this general motion is expected today. An eastward to east-northeastward motion is forecast on Monday, followed by a faster northeastward motion on Tuesday and Wednesday.

On the forecast track, Milton is forecast to move north of the Yucatan Peninsula and to move across the Gulf of Mexico and approach the west coast of the Florida Peninsula by midweek.

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Unfortunately, as the Northwest coastal area of Florida continues to recover from Hurricane Helene, the National Hurricane Center is now warning of a tropical storm in the western gulf, heading East, that is likely to become Hurricane Milton.

There are many variables present within the models for the track of TS Milton as it develops and strengthens into a hurricane.  This storm will be a little unique in modern forecast as it is traveling from west to east. Storms that travel this way create a very different set of variables in the cone of uncertainty.

Due to this path, the area north of the impact eyewall will see winds offshore.  The area directly south of the impact eyewall will see winds directly onshore.   Preparations are always critical within the cone area; however, preparations for a west to east storm are even more critical.  A few miles and a little wobble can make all the difference in the storm surge.

Currently the cone of possibility extends from Ten Thousand Islands (South of Naples, FL) all the way to the Big Bend in the Peninsula of Florida. The center is Tampa Bay.  The entire west coast of Florida is in the cone of uncertainty.

(NHC) – At 400 PM CDT (2100 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Milton was located near latitude 22.7 North, longitude 95.5 West. Milton is moving toward the north-northeast near 3 mph (6 km/h). A slow east-northeastward motion is expected to begin tonight. A slightly faster eastward to east-northeastward motion is forecast by Monday and Tuesday.

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