HURRICANE MILTON UPDATES: Milton becomes Category 4 storm before expected landfall late Wednesday

ATLANTA — Severe Weather Team 2 is continuing to track Hurricane Milton as it moves closer to making landfall in Florida.

The National Hurricane Center says Milton is currently a Category 4 hurricane with 155 mph sustained winds and is forecasted to make landfall late on Wednesday.

Get the latest track on WSBTV.com Channel 2 Action News at Noon.

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9:01 a.m. - Rush to finish preparations

The National Hurricane Center says if you have not finished preparing for the storm or evacuating, you need to do so immediately. They suggest you rush to finish preparing to protect your life and property.

8:00 a.m. - Category 4

Milton has weakened slightly into a Category 4 hurricane with 155 mph maximum sustained winds, according to the National Hurricane Center. They say it will still be “an extremely dangerous major hurricane” when it makes landfall.

Severe Weather Team 2 Meteorologist Brian Monahan expects that the storm will continue to weaken before landfall.

5:00 a.m.

Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall late on Wednesday night or early Thursday morning along Florida’s west coast, near or just south of Tampa.

Monahan says the storm will have an enormous wind field that can bring devastating wind gusts and massive storm surge, which is what led to millions of people being forced to evacuate.

The National Hurricane Center says those in evacuation zones should leave the area immediately as there may not be enough time to get out if they wait until later on Wednesday.

Most of Florida is under a hurricane or tropical storm warning. Georgia’s coast is now under a Tropical Storm Warning.

Monahan also said southeast Georgia will see some rain, stronger wind gusts, and two to five feet of storm surge from Milton, but metro Atlanta and north Georgia will only see sunshine and breezy weather as the storm passes to the southeast.

Governor Brian Kemp has issued a State of Emergency until Oct. 16 for Hurricane Milton and the damage it may bring with it.

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