TAMPA, Fla. — Hurricane Milton continued to strengthen slowly Sunday morning, and the risk of life-threatening impacts for the Florida Gulf Coast later this week is increasing.
What You Need to Know:
- Hurricane is strengthening as it moves across the Gulf of Mexico.
- Sustained winds are now at 80 miles per hour
- The storm is forecast to strengthen, possibly into a major hurricane, and impact portions of Florida's west coast by Tuesday and Wednesday.
At 11 a.m. Sunday, the National Hurricane Center said that Tropical Storm Milton was located about 835 miles west-southwest of Tampa and was moving east at 6 mph.
WATCH: Ron Desantis talks about Florida's preparation for Tropical Storm Milton
Over the next couple of days, an eastward to east-northeastward motion is forecast, followed by a faster northeastward motion. On the forecast track, Milton is forecast to move across the Gulf of Mexico and approach the west coast of the Florida Peninsula by midweek.
Milton is forecast to become a hurricane later Sunday and become a major hurricane late Monday as it moves across the central and eastern Gulf of Mexico toward the Florida peninsula.
RESOURCES
Tropical Storm Milton strengthened slightly overnight and the risk of life-threatening impacts from the storm is increasing for the Florida Gulf Coast later this week.