Hurricane Milton remains a Category 5 hurricane. It is expected to make landfall on Florida's west coast this week. 

Milton continues to strengthen over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and is now a Category 5 hurricane. It has maximum winds of 165 mph and is moving east at 9 mph.  

It is expected to weaken somewhat as it approaches the Florida peninsula. However, it is expected to remain a major hurricane (at least Category 3) during landfall this week along Florida's west coast and maintain hurricane strength while crossing the state. 

Hurricane and tropical storm watches and warnings are now in effect for the Florida gulf coast and inland. 

The timing of landfall looks to be late Wednesday into early Thursday. 

Rainfall will be excessive even before the hurricane arrives. A non-tropical low will move across the peninsula early in the week bringing several inches of rain.

This will soak most of the state prior to Milton's arrival.

The track is different from Helene in that the storm is expected to stay on a more eastern path, instead of making a turn to the north. This would put Central Florida in the path. 

Time will be quickly running out for preparations, so anyone in the peninsula of Florida should monitor the forecasts very closely and follow officials orders should they be asked to evacuate. All hazards are on the table including storm surge flooding along the Gulf coast, heavy rainfall and damaging winds near and south of the center of the storm, and spin-up tornadoes that could form in Milton's outer rain bands. 

Here's a look at the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season so far.

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