Hurricane Milton has its sights set on the west coast of Florida just days after Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc on the area.

UPDATE 5:54 p.m. EST: The National Hurricane Center is urging residents to heed warnings issued by local emergency management authorities as Hurricane Milton now “has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida.”

As of Monday morning (October 7), Hurricane Milton has intensified to a terrifying Category 5 storm with sustained winds of more than 175 miles per hour. The storm is expected to make landfall near Tampa Bay Wednesday evening, and could be the worst storm to hit the area in more than a century.

Milton is one of 40 hurricanes to have reached Category 5 status while still in the Atlantic. And it is now one of only seven to have escalated from Category 1 to Category 5 status in less than 24 hours.

Kevin Guthrie, Florida’s director of emergency management, and Governor Ron Desantis issued evacuation orders for 51 Florida counties ahead of Wednesday’s expected impact.

“I beg you. I implore you. Drowning deaths due to storm surge are 100% preventable if you leave,” Guthrie told residents during a press conference Monday morning.

The National Hurricane Center expects Milton to weaken slightly before landfall, but could grow significantly larger. It is expected to bring life-threatening storm surge of 8 to 12 feet, flooding, and damaging winds.

About Category 5 Hurricanes

It is a rare feat for a hurricane to reach Category 5 status. In fact, only four of the storms have made landfall in the United States as a 5. A one-minute sustained wind speed of at least 158 miles per hour is required to earn the rare title.

The most recent Category 5 to impact the U.S. was Hurricane Michael (2018), preceded by Andrew in 1992, Camille in 1969, and “Labor Day” in 1935.

Florida’s Recovery From Hurricane Helene

Many Florida residents are being forced to abandon cleanup efforts from Hurricane Helene, a Category 4 storm that killed at least 12 in the state after it battered the coast less than two weeks ago. Photos show furniture, cabinets, and more lining streets in Tampa as homeowners cleanup damage left behind by Helene.

Flood-damaged items lined streets in Pinellas County, Florida, as clean-up efforts from Helene continue with Hurricane Milton set to impact the region this week. pic.twitter.com/fFFfGOpCZL

— AccuWeather (@accuweather) October 7, 2024

Desantis told the Washington Post that Floridians were working 24/7 cleaning up the aftermath of Helene until it is no longer safe to do so. But, it may all be for naught as the area is Milton’s target and will likely bring more damage. Many residents are packing up whatever belongings are worth saving heading north.

As residents flee the path of Milton, lines for gasoline are long and freeways are congested.

I-4 and I-75 are backed up from people trying to evacuate due to Hurricane Milton. I don’t want to hear in the aftermath. “Why didn’t they leave?” People are trying to. You don’t want to get stuck on the interstate during a hurricane. pic.twitter.com/DsaKiN8jre

— Sassafrass84 (@Sassafrass_84) October 7, 2024

If there is any good news regarding Hurricane Milton, it is that the storm is expected to take a more southerly route than Helene. This course will spare the Appalachians where people are still reeling from the widespread devastation caused by Helene. As of press time, more than 200 have been confirmed dead and hundreds more are missing in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina.

If you would like to help those affected by the hurricanes, click HERE to find out how.