Hurricane Milton, now a Category 5, is set to hit Florida

As Hurricane Milton approaches Florida, it gets stronger over the Gulf of Mexico.

The National hurricane Center's most recent advisory states that the cyclone has strengthened to a Category 5 with winds of 180 mph.

Milton's sustained winds were expected to reach 165 mph in the following twelve hours, according to NHC forecasters at 11 a.m. By 5 p.m., less than three hours later, winds had reached 175 mph and 180 mph. As Milton intensifies quickly on Monday, forecasts have been shifting all day. At least 157 mph winds are sustained in a Category 5 storm.

According to the NHC's 5 p.m. forecast, Milton might intensify much more tonight due to minimal shear and extremely warm waters creating a favorable atmosphere.

At the moment, there are many hurricane, storm surge, and tropical storm watches in effect across parts of Florida. Florida is expected to have catastrophic effects, including potentially fatal storm surges, inundating rain, and devastating winds.

As Hurricane Milton gets stronger, Florida officials are advising citizens to leave immediately.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis cautioned citizens to heed evacuation orders, only hours before the storm intensified into a Category 5 hurricane on Monday.

"Time is going to start running out very, very soon," he said at a news conference.

"Please, if you're in the Tampa Bay area, you need to evacuate," Kevin Guthrie, executive director of Florida Emergency Management, urged at the news conference. "Drowning deaths due to storm surge are 100% preventable if you leave."

There are orders for evacuation in several counties on Florida's west coast. encompassing Sarasota, Lee, Pasco, Pinellas, Charlotte, Citrus, Hillsborough, and Manatee. Additionally, Glades and Okeechobee counties have issued voluntary orders. The Division of Emergency Management website in Florida has a list of all evacuation orders.

Florida has issued a state of emergency for 51 of its 67 counties in advance of Milton, which is headed toward the state's western coast. On Wednesday, Milton is anticipated to touch down. Numerous counties have declared that their schools will be closed.

By the time the storm reaches landfall in Florida late on Wednesday or early on Thursday, it is predicted to weaken but will still be a powerful Category 3 hurricane.

The Florida Climate Center estimates that 90% of all hurricane-related deaths globally result from drowning in storm surges or floods from heavy rains.

"Milton has the potential to become one of Florida's most damaging and costly hurricanes, bringing a variety of life-threatening dangers," said AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter.

"This includes an extreme storm surge of 10-15 feet along and near the coast, including in the Tampa Bay area, destructive winds and major flooding to one of the most densely populated areas of Florida, the I-4 corridor from Tampa to Orlando.

"Milton may be a historic, once-in-a-lifetime storm for Floridians," stated Porter.