On Oct. 6, less than 10 days after Hurricane Helene made landfall, Florida is preparing for another threat: Hurricane Milton. Milton currently moves at six mph with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph. As of now, it is located more than 800 miles west-southwest of Tampa.
Forecasters predict that the storm could make landfall on Florida’s west coast as a major hurricane this week, potentially reaching Category 3, 4, or 5 status by Oct. 7. Heavy rain is expected to begin on Oct. 6, especially in central and south Florida.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis responded with a state of emergency for 51 counties. Bay-area and Hillsborough County have opened sandbag operation sites as preparation.
