Hurricane Milton tracker: Storm strengthens to Category 5 hurricane with 165 mph winds on path toward Florida

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ORLANDO, Fla. - Hurricane Milton strengthened back into a Category 5 storm in the Gulf of Mexico late Tuesday afternoon and is expected to stay a major hurricane before making landfall over Florida.

As of 5 p.m., Hurricane Milton was 480 miles away from Tampa, Florida, with sustained winds of 165 mph, considerably stronger than the 2 p.m. update. It is moving east-northeast at 9 mph. The minimum central pressure is 918 MB.

"On the forecast track, the center of Milton will move across the eastern Gulf of Mexico through Wednesday, make landfall along the west-central coast of Florida Wednesday night, and move off the east coast of Florida over the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday," the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. 

Hurricane Milton latest updates:

• Florida Evacuation Zones: Do you live in an evacuation zone? Here's how to find out
• Hurricane Milton: Florida airport closures, flight cancelations ahead of storm
• Hurricane Milton tracker: Cone, path, spaghetti models, forecast
• Evacuations: Central Florida evacuation orders ahead of Hurricane Milton
• Timeline: When will Hurricane Milton reach Central Florida? County-by-county impacts
• Florida school closures: Florida schools close as huge storms approaches Gulf coast
• Emergency Info: County-by-county guide for Central Florida

Where is Hurricane Milton right now? Here is the latest NHC track.

Forecasters say Hurricane Milton has the potential to become one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for Central Florida, particularly in the Tampa Bay area, as millions of residents continue to prepare for life-threatening impacts and evacuate the coast and other low-lying areas ahead of the monster storm’s arrival on Wednesday night while Hurricane and Storm Surge Warnings expand to the state's east coast.

What category storm is Hurricane Milton right now?

In the 5 p.m. update, the National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Milton had sustained winds of 165 mph, making it a strong Category 5 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.

Milton has fluctuated in intensity over the last 48 hours as wind speeds have decreased and increased. 

What is the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale?

Hurricanes are given a category – rated based on their sustained wind speeds – using Category 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5. A major hurricane is a Category 3, 4, or 5 storm. The Saffir-Simpson Wind Scale only takes into account wind speeds. It does not account for storm surges, flooding, torrential rain, etc.

• Category 1: 74-95 mph sustained winds (very dangerous winds will produce some damage)
• Category 2: 96-110 mph sustained winds (extremely dangerous winds will cause extensive damage)
• Category 3: 111-129 mph sustained winds (devastating damage will occur)
• Category 4: 120 to 156 mph sustained winds (catastrophic damage will occur)
• Category 5: 157 mph sustained winds (Catastrophic damage will occur)'

When will Hurricane Milton make landfall over Florida?

According to the FOX 35 Storm Team, we are anticipating Hurricane Milton to make landfall on Florida's Gulf Coast between 10 p.m. Wednesday and 2 a.m. Thursday. However, that could change as the storm continues to make its way across the Gulf of Mexico.

Regardless, it is important not to focus on the center of the track or where landfall is. Weather impacts will be felt across Central Florida outside the center of the storm -- storm surge, heavy rainfall, flooding, damaging winds, and tornadoes.

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.

Hurricane Milton Spaghetti Models

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:

WEDNESDAY 12 p.m.-8 p.m. | Hurricane Milton approaches Tampa Bay.

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

WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY 8 p.m.-2 a.m.  | Hurricane Milton makes landfall Wednesday evening in Tampa Bay causing a storm surge from there to Ft Myers.

• Orlando will only have winds of 25-50 mph 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 2 a.m.-5 a.m. | The bigger wind finally arrives here

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

THURSDAY 5 a.m.-10 a.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 9 a.m.-1 p.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, and Volusia counties with 65-80 mph in Brevard.
• Storm surges to develop on the Atlantic coast of 2–4 feet... At times of high tide, coastal flooding and erosion.

THURSDAY 1 p.m.-8 p.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 6 pm.

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