Weather

AccuWeather - “Milton may be a historic, once-in-a-lifetime storm for Floridians,” AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter said. “Milton has the potential to become one of Florida’s most damaging and costly hurricanes,” he added, in part due to the extreme storm surge expected around and south of Tampa Bay.

AccuWeather is forecasting a storm surge of 10 to 15 feet from just north of Tampa through fort Myers. The worst storm surge is expected around Sarasota and along Longboat Key, where the surge may approach 20 feet, which is taller than most single-story homes. “Should an intense Milton track just north of Tampa, storm surges of 20 feet could occur in parts of Tampa Bay, resulting in widespread, catastrophic damage not seen in this part of Tampa Bay in modern history,” Porter added.

Axios - Evacuations are underway in the Tampa Bay area and other parts of the Florida Gulf Coast as Category 3 Hurricane Milton intensifies and takes aim by midweek. The storm poses a dire scenario of a direct hit on Tampa Bay from the west-southwest, which would push an unprecedented 8-to-12-foot storm surge into the bay.

• Hurricane and storm surge watches have been issued along the state's west coast.
• The peak surge, which proved damaging, during Hurricane Helene was between 4 to 8 feet.
• A storm track just to the south of Tampa would spare the city from the worst surge impacts but put other heavily populated areas at greater risk.
• The current forecast peaks Hurricane Milton as a 145 mph Category 4 storm, though Category 5 is possible for a short time.

CNN -  Milton has exploded in strength in the Gulf of Mexico and is now a Category 3 major hurricane packing sustained winds of 120 mph with higher gusts, according to the National Hurricane Center. The hurricane is forecast to reach at least Category 4 strength early this week as it tracks east across the Gulf toward Florida.