Hurricane Milton path tracker: Latest models, updates and more l LIVE coverage
FLORIDA - Millions in Florida are bracing for a potentially catastrophic punch from Hurricane Milton, which threatens a historically deep and dangerous storm surge to a large swath of Florida’s west coast.
HURRICANE MILTON LATEST UPDATE: LOCATION l PATH l IMPACTS
***MILTON TRACKER LIVE: Watch the video player above for coverage on the hurricane.
"Milton has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida," the NHC said Wednesday morning.
Here's everything you need to know about Hurricane Milton, including its location, projected path and impacts on Florida.
Milton location: Where is the hurricane now?
Current info on Hurricane Milton. (FOX Weather)
Milton regained Category 5 strength Tuesday evening, a day after becoming among the strongest hurricanes on record in the Atlantic basin.
Projected path of Hurricane Milton 2024
The forecast cone for Hurricane Milton.(FOX Weather)
The monster storm maintained that strength overnight, but fell to Category 4 strength early Wednesday morning.
When is Milton hitting Florida?
According to forecasters, it will likely remain a major hurricane when it makes landfall on Florida's west coast later Wednesday evening or early Thursday morning.
Milton spaghetti models
Spaghetti forecast models for Hurricane Milton. (FOX Weather)
Florida hurricane: Impacts
State officials have been scrambling since Monday to get millions off vulnerable coastlines in what is described as the largest mass evacuation in Florida since Hurricane Irma in 2017.
Storm surge forecasts along the central western coast are predicting 10–15 feet of water topped with devastating waves driven by hurricane-force winds.
Those levels, significantly higher than the damage wrought just last month by Hurricane Helene, would surpass anything seen in over a century in the Tampa Bay area.
The Florida National Guard has mobilized 5,000 troops to assist with the response, with an additional 3,000 expected to be deployed before the storm makes landfall.
The Florida Department of Transportation opened the shoulders on Interstate 4 and Interstate 75 going north to help speed up evacuations, and tolls have been suspended.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a State of Emergency over the weekend for 51 of the state’s 67 counties, and on Monday, President Joe Biden approved the state’s pre-landfall emergency declaration request.
Aside from the life-threatening storm surge, Milton is forecast to bring wind speeds well over 100 mph around the eyewall where the hurricane makes landfall. That includes the Tampa area, which has potential wind gusts over 95 mph or more at landfall.
Power outage forecast during Hurricane Milton. (FOX Weather)
But even after landfall, damaging winds are expected to track across the central Florida Peninsula. Milton is forecast to maintain hurricane strength even through its trek along the Atlantic coast, with Hurricane Warnings covering 11 million including the Orlando area and along the east coast from the St. Lucie/Martin County Line northward to Ponte Vedra Beach.
Storm surge will also be felt along the Atlantic coast of Florida from the Space Coast to the First Coast. This includes cities such as Daytona Beach, St. Augustine and Jacksonville Beach.
Rainfall totals will reach 8–12 inches along Milton's path with isolated totals reaching 18 inches. Milton will present a threat of scattered tornadoes even ahead of landfall.
Tampa evacuation zones
As Hurricane Milton barrels toward Florida, many Tampa Bay Area residents are preparing to evacuate.
Click HERE for more from our sister station, FOX 13 Tampa Bay.
Hurricane categories
What is a Category 1 hurricane?
A hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 74-95 mph is considered to be a Category 1 cyclone on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
A Category 1 storm is the weakest of all hurricanes but is stronger than a tropical storm.
What is a Category 2 hurricane?
A hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 96-110 mph is considered to be a Category 2 cyclone on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
A Category 2 storm is stronger than a Category 1 and is just one status below what is considered to be a major hurricane.
What is a Category 3 hurricane?
A hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 111-129 mph is considered to be a Category 3 cyclone on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
Once a hurricane strengthens into Category 3 storm it is considered to be a major hurricane.
What is a Category 4 hurricane?
A hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 130-156 mph is considered to be a Category 4 cyclone on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
A Category 4 cyclone is considered to be a major hurricane and is only one class below a Category 5.
What is a Category 5 hurricane?
A hurricane with maximum sustained winds of at least 157 mph is considered to be a Category 5 cyclone on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
A Category 5 is the strongest a hurricane can get on the scale, as there is not a Category 6 rating.
When does hurricane season end?
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June to November. August, September and October are considered to be the peak months, with more than 85% of tropical systems forming during the three-month period.
FOX Weather helped contribute to this report.