Milton increases to a Category 3 hurricane as Florida prepares for massive evacuations
CTV
Milton has strengthened into a Category 3 hurricane as Florida gears up for what could be its biggest evacuation in seven years. The major hurricane is moving over the Gulf of Mexico and headed toward population centers including Tampa and Orlando.
Milton has strengthened into a Category 3 hurricane as Florida gears up for what could be its biggest evacuation in seven years. The major hurricane is moving over the Gulf of Mexico and headed toward population centers including Tampa and Orlando. The National Hurricane Center in Miami says Monday it has maximum sustained winds of 125 mph (201 km/h).
This is a breaking news update. AP's previous story continues below.
Milton could make landfall Wednesday in the Tampa Bay area and remain a hurricane as it moves across central Florida toward the Atlantic Ocean. It comes less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene caused deaths and catastrophic damage in Florida and well inland.
Hurricane Milton was strengthening over the southern Gulf of Mexico as storm surge and hurricane watches for parts of Florida and a hurricane warning for the Mexican coast were issued, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. The storm-ravaged Gulf Coast in Florida was expected to hit again.
While forecast models vary widely, the most likely path suggests Milton could make landfall Wednesday in the Tampa Bay area and remain a hurricane as it moves across central Florida into the Atlantic Ocean. That would largely spare other southeastern states ravaged by Hurricane Helene, which caused catastrophic damage from Florida into the Appalachian Mountains and a death toll that rose Sunday to at least 230 people.
The Mexican government issued a hurricane warning for the Yucatan Peninsula from Celestun to Rio Lagartos, the centre said.
About 7 million people were urged to evacuate Florida in 2017 as Hurricane Irma bore down on the state. The exodus jammed freeways, led to hours-long lines at gas stations that still had fuel and left evacuees frustrated and, in some cases, vowing never to evacuate again.
