DeSantis Declares Emergency Ahead Of Hurricane

The Tallahassee Democrat reports:

Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency ahead of Hurricane Milton, which could bring Category 3 winds and surge, or worst, to the Florida peninsula. Areas at the greatest risk are communities still reeling from last month’s Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Ian in 2022.

Milton is expected to rapidly intensify over the next 36 hours and could be a major Category 3 hurricane when it reaches the west coast of the Florida peninsula mid-week and brings the risk of life-threatening impacts to portions of the state’s west coast, the National Hurricane Center said.

The Weather Channel reports:

The National Hurricane Center says that “there is an increasing risk of life-threatening storm surge and wind impacts for portions of the west coast of the Florida Peninsula beginning late Tuesday or Wednesday.”

Hurricane and storm surge watches will likely be required for portions of Florida on Sunday. Tropical storm watches have been issued for portions of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. The storm is expected to intensify into a hurricane this weekend and could rapidly intensify into the week ahead.

Much of the current computer guidance suggests that a stronger hurricane threat for Florida is growing and the NHC is currently forecasting the system to approach Florida as a Category 3+ hurricane.

Milton is expected to reach hurricane status shortly.