Hurricane Milton rapidly strengthens to a Category 5 storm in the Gulf of Mexico

ATLANTA — Here’s what you need to know:

• Hurricane Milton continues to strengthen.
• The Category 5 storm has sustained 180 mph winds, gusts of 220 mph.
• Milton expected to lose some strength before making landfall.
• Hurricane Warnings are now in effect for the west coast of Florida, and Hurricane Watches are posted for central Florida.
• A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued along the Georgia coast for Bryan, Chatham, Liberty, Long and McIntosh counties.
• GEMA is telling people evacuating Florida to come to Macon, Atlanta, stay away from Valdosta, Augusta.

Severe Weather Team 2 continues to monitor Hurricane Milton which has turned into a dangerous Category 5 storm with sustained winds of about 180 mph.

The storm strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane early Monday morning and quickly strengthened again into a Category 3, Category 4 and now a Category 5 storm.

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The storm is churching in the Gulf of Mexico moving East at about 10 mph.

It is expected to weaken some before making landfall.

“It could easily be a Category 4, or a Category 3 hurricane upon making that landfall sometime late Wednesday evening,” Severe Weather Team 2 Meteorologist Eboni Deon said.

The storm is supposed to move east across Florida and out to the ocean.

There are watches and warnings all across Florida as the storm approaches.

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Severe Weather Team 2 Meteorologist Brian Monahan said Milton’s rate of strengthening over the last 24 hours is nearly unprecedented. He says it was beaten only by Hurricane Wilma in 2005 and Hurricane Felix in 2007.

Milton is tracking towards Central Florida and will make landfall on Wednesday, just weeks after Hurricane Helene.

Helene caused catastrophic damage from Florida into the Appalachian mountains and a death toll that rose Sunday to 230 people, the Associated Press said.

Severe Weather Team 2 says there will likely be catastrophic damage from Milton once it hits.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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