Hurricane Milton is now a category 4 storm, increasing in intensity just after the National Hurricane Center’s 7 a.m. advisory.
The path of the storm takes it near Tampa Bay, with landfall expected to be sometime Wednesday evening or early Thursday morning.
The projected path — and threats from the storm — are well south of Santa Rosa County.
Here’s the latest from the National Hurricane Center:
"Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 125 mph (205 km/h)
with higher gusts. Milton is a category 3 hurricane on the
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Further strengthening is
expected, and Milton is forecast to become an extremely dangerous
category 4 hurricane later today and maintain that intensity for
the next couple of days."
And here’s a list of current hurricane and tropical storm watches and warnings:
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for...
* Celestun to Rio Lagartos
A Hurricane Watch is in effect for...
* Rio Lagartos to Cabo Catoche
* Campeche to south of Celestun
* Florida Gulf coast from Chokoloskee to the mouth of the Suwanee
River, including Tampa Bay
* Dry Tortugas
A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for...
* Florida Gulf coast from Flamingo northward to the mouth of the
Suwannee River, including Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...
* Rio Lagartos to Cancun
* Campeche to south of Celestun
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for...
* Florida Gulf coast from Flamingo to south of Chokoloskee
* Florida Gulf coast north of the mouth of the Suwanee River to
Indian Pass
* Lower, Middle, and Upper Florida Keys, including Florida Bay
