Dangerous Category 5 storm with sustained winds of 180 miles per hour is heading toward Florida, extensive evacuations are ordered

Hurricane Milton rapidly strengthened Monday morning, strengthening from a Category 4 hurricane to a dangerous Category 5 hurricane with sustained winds of about 180 mph as it targeted Florida's Gulf Coast, still reeling from the record-breaking landfall of Helene was suffering a little over a week ago.

“Milton has the potential to be one of the most devastating hurricanes ever for West Central Florida,” the National Hurricane Center said in its update at 5 p.m. ET.

Millions face the prospect of evacuation as Milton gains momentum on its way to the Tampa Bay area, where it is expected to make landfall Wednesday evening. If it stays on its current path, Milton could be the worst storm to hit the Tampa area in over 100 years.

The hurricane is one of only 40 recorded hurricanes to have escalated to Category 5 in the Atlantic and one of seven hurricanes to have gone from Category 1 to Category 5 in 24 hours or less. Officials at the Federal Emergency Management Agency described Milton as the third-fastest growing storm ever in the Atlantic during a call with reporters Monday afternoon, behind Hurricanes Wilma (2005) and Felix (2007).

Kevin Guthrie, the state's emergency management director, urged people in the Tampa Bay area to evacuate at a news conference Monday alongside Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

“I'm begging you. I'm begging you,” Guthrie said. “Drowning deaths from storm surge are 100% preventable if you walk away.”

DeSantis said Monday that 51 Florida counties are currently under a state of emergency. President Biden declared a state of emergency in Florida on Monday and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local efforts to respond to Hurricane Milton.

According to the National Hurricane Center, the Mexican government has issued a hurricane warning for the coast of Mexico from Celestún to Cabo Catoche and a tropical storm warning from Celestún to Cancún. Residents of the Florida Peninsula, Florida Keys and northwestern Bahamas are also being asked to monitor the hurricane's progress.

Where is Hurricane Milton and what path is it taking?

As of Monday, 5:00 p.m. ET:

• Milton was located about 80 miles west-northwest of Progreso, Mexico.

• It was about 675 miles southwest of Tampa.

• The storm had maximum sustained winds of 180 miles per hour.

• The storm was moving east-southeast at a speed of 10 miles per hour.

The NHC warned Monday morning of “an increasing risk of life-threatening storm surge and damaging winds for portions of the west coast of the Florida Peninsula beginning Tuesday night or early Wednesday.”

“Residents in this area should follow all advice from local authorities and evacuate if ordered to do so,” the hurricane center said.

Parts of the Florida Peninsula and Florida Keys are expected to see 5 to 10 inches of rainfall through Wednesday night, with localized rainfall totals of up to 15 inches. Such rains pose “the risk of significant flash flooding, urban and regional flooding, as well as the possibility of moderate to severe river flooding,” forecasters said.

Meanwhile, parts of the northern Yucatán Peninsula can expect 5 to 10 centimeters of rainfall.

Warnings and evacuations

Starting Monday, 5 p.m. ET, a Hurricane warning applies to:

• Celestun to Rio Lagartos, Mexico

• Florida's West Coast, from Bonita Beach to the Suwannee River, including Tampa Bay

A “hurricane warning” means that hurricane conditions are expected in the area. Precautions and preparations for people and property should be completed.

A Hurricane watch applies to:

• Florida's West Coast, from Chokoloskee to south of Bonita Beach

• Florida's East Coast, from St. Lucie/Indian River County Line north to St. Marys River

• Rio Lagartos to Cabo Catoche

• Campeche south of Celestún

• Dry Tortugas

• Lake Okeechobee

A “hurricane warning” means that hurricane conditions are possible in the areas and is typically issued 48 hours before the expected hurricane.

A Tropical Storm Warning applies to:

• Rio Lagartos to Cancun

• All Florida Keys

• Florida's Gulf Coast, from Flamingo to south of Chokoloskee

• Florida's Gulf Coast, from the Suwannee River to Indian Pass

A “Tropical Storm Warning” means that areas are expected to experience tropical storm conditions within the next 36 hours.

A Tropical storm watch applies to:

• East coast of the Florida Peninsula, south of St. Lucie/Indian River County Line south to Flamingo

• Coast of Georgia and South Carolina, north from St. Marys River to South Santee River in South Carolina

A “tropical storm watch” means tropical storm conditions are possible in areas over the next 48 hours.

A Storm surge warning applies to:

A “storm surge warning” means there is a risk of life-threatening flooding over the next 36 hours.

A Storm surge watch applies to:

• Sebastian Inlet, Florida, to Edisto Beach, SC, including St. Johns River

A “storm surge watch” means there is a possibility of life-threatening flooding.

As of Monday morning, the Florida Division of Emergency Management had ordered evacuations for six Florida counties along the state's west coast.

During a news conference Monday morning, DeSantis urged residents to follow orders but emphasized that they don't have to travel far to be safe.

“You don’t have to evacuate hundreds of miles,” he said. “If you are in areas that are prone to storm surge, go to areas that are not prone to it. There are places you can go in every county. Maybe it’s a friend’s house, maybe it’s a hotel, maybe it’s a place to stay.”

Mandatory evacuations apply to:

• Charlotte County, particularly in the water areas along the Gulf, Charlotte Harbor, and the Myakka and Peace Rivers

• Hillsborough County

• Pasco County, particularly those who live in low-lying areas or live in manufactured homes, mobile homes or RVs

• Pinellas County and its residential health care facilities in three specific county zones

Voluntary evacuations apply to:

• Manatee County and Sarasota County, where residents are being asked to begin implementing evacuation plans — whether that means staying with a friend or family member at a higher level or leaving the area entirely

To find out if you live in an evacuation zone, click here.

Milton arrives days after Helene

Hurricane Milton comes just over a week after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida's Big Bend region as a monstrous Category 4 storm, causing at least 20 deaths in Florida alone.

During a press briefing Monday afternoon, FEMA noted that the organization will not yet redirect personnel already working in areas affected by Hurricane Helene to Milton's route.

After making landfall with winds of 140 miles per hour, Helene moved inland across the southeast, leaving more than 200 dead and widespread destruction. After the storm, Florida's infrastructure and emergency services were overwhelmed.

Read more from Yahoo News: Helene shows that in the age of climate change, hurricanes don't just destroy coastlines

Active hurricane season

Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, but the peak of increased activity is usually from August to October. According to NOAA, a “typical” Atlantic hurricane season will typically see about 14 named storms, “of which seven become hurricanes and three become major hurricanes.”

As of early October, eight hurricanes have formed in the Atlantic – Milton is the 13th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. As CNN notes, hurricane season is moving faster than expected. Normally, the 13th storm of the season would not hit until October 25th at the earliest.

Last week, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas warned that FEMA does not have the resources to get through the season. President Biden said last week that Congress may need to pass additional spending legislation in the next few months to fund states' recovery efforts.