Hurricane Milton: 'Catastrophic' storm headed for Florida Gulf Coast

Stream FOX 35 News

ORLANDO, Fl - The State of Florida is bracing for the potential impacts of Hurricane Milton as it churns in the Gulf of Mexico and heads towards the state. Mandatory evacuations are underway across the west coast as the hurricane is expected to make landfall in the Tampa Bay region on Wednesday.  

According to the 8 a.m. NHC update, the storm has slightly weakened to a Cat 4 storm but is about 545 miles away from Tampa with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph. It is currently moving across the Gulf at 12 mph. 

"Milton is an extremely dangerous category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.  While fluctuations in Intensity are expected, Milton is forecast to remain an extremely dangerous hurricane through landfall in Florida." the NHC said. 

How will Milton impact Central Florida?

The worst damage we can expect to see in Central Florida will not be coming from the winds as many would expect but from flooding rains. Many communities along and north of the center of the storm will see about 8–15 inches of rain. 

When will Orlando and Central Florida feel the effects of Hurricane Milton? 

Ahead of Milton, Florida will see increasing periods of rainfall and increasing winds as tropical storm-force winds and the hurricane's outer bands begin to spread across the state.

Those impacts will get worse as Milton gets closer to the coast.

FOX 35 Storm Team Meteorologist Brooks Garner provided a potential timeline of how and when Hurricane Milton will make landfall and move across the state:

WED 12p.m.-7p.m. | Hurricane Milton approaches Tampa Bay.

• Orlando will only have winds of 25-40mph in gusts inside of downpours.
• Scattered tornadoes will be possible during this lead-up time.

WED 7p.m.-10p.m. | Hurricane Milton makes landfall Wednesday evening in the Tampa Bay causing storm surge from there to Ft Myers.

• Orlando will only have winds of 25-50mph in gusts through the evening. Some may remark on how calm it is in Orlando despite a hurricane landfall in Tampa Bay.
• Isolated tornadoes though inside a few lone storm cells racing northward.

Thursday 12a.m.-3a.m. | The bigger wind finally arrives here

• A few 60-75 mph gusts are possible (especially in open areas like airports.)
• Isolated tornadoes

Thursday 3a.m.-7a.m. | Center of system crossing Orlando with flooding rain along and north of I-4

• Tornado threat ends
• Winds calm a bit...
• Flooding rain is likely to have a wider-spread impact on our DMA than the overall wind impact.
• Flash Flood Emergencies could be issued
• Routine 55mph gusts remain... like in a severe thunderstorm

Thursday 8a.m.-12p.m. | Heavy rain is over, but the worst hurricane wind arrives

• As the system emerges into the Atlantic, we'll catch northern gusts to 80-85mph on the backside of it, in Seminole, Flagler, Volusia Counties... 65-80 mph in Brevard.
• Storm surge to develop on the Atlantic coast of 2–4 feet... At times of high tide, coastal flooding and erosion.

Thursday 12p.m.-5p.m. | System moves away, conditions calming

• Still gusty and breezy, we'll see 35-45mph gusts ... On the beaches, we may see gusts to 60mph until nightfall.
• The Atlantic storm surge continues but subsides after 4pm.

Hurricane Milton tracker: Cone, spaghetti models, path, maps

Tropical storm and hurricane prep

According to Ready. Gov, here are some of the essentials to include in your emergency kit:

• Food and water to last several days (one gallon per person per day; non-perishable foods to last for several days)
• NOAA Weather Radio (battery-powered or crank)
• Flashlight, additional batteries
• First aid kit, critical medications to last several days
• Cellphone, chargers, and fully-charged battery packs
• Cash
• Important documents (insurance, medical cards; copies of birth certificates, social security cards; pet vaccination, ownership records)
• Important phone numbers (family, emergency contacts, emergency county contacts)
• Weather-resistant clothing (jackets, hats, umbrellas, boots, etc.)

What is my Florida evacuation zone? Here's how to find it.

If you live in a low-lying area that's prone to flooding, in a mobile home, or an unsafe structure, those areas may be ordered to evacuate during a hurricane, either part of a voluntary evacuation or a mandatory evacuation.

Here is how to find out if you live in an evacuation zone, and what your zone is:

• Visit https://www.floridadisaster.org/knowyourzone/ and click the "Know Your Zone" link.
• Type in your address and see if it is located within a colored evacuation zone (these are flood zones)
• Zone A is typically the most vulnerable, though there are 21 different zone designations among various counties in Florida