Tropical Storm Milton could hit Florida as a major hurricane in the middle of the week

MIAMI (AP) — People across Florida were informed Sunday that Milton, for now just a tropical storm off the coast of Mexico, could quickly become a major hurricane before hitting the storm-ravaged Gulf Coast during the week.

The center of Tropical Storm Milton was about 860 miles (1,385 kilometers) west-southwest of Tampa, Florida, early Sunday and was moving east at a speed of 5 miles per hour (7 km/h), with maximum sustained winds of 60 miles per hour ( The National Hurricane Center in Miami said it reached 60 mph (95 km/h).

“Milton is moving slowly but is expected to strengthen quickly,” the center said. “There is increasing confidence that a strong, life-threatening hurricane will impact portions of Florida's west coast around the middle of this week.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Sunday that while it remains to be seen where Milton will strike, it is clear Florida will be hit hard.

“You have time to prepare – all day today, all day Monday and probably all day Tuesday to ensure your hurricane preparedness plan is implemented,” the governor said. “Know your evacuation zone – there will be mandatory and voluntary evacuations.”

DeSantis said up to 4,000 National Guard troops are helping the Florida Division of Emergency Management and the Florida Department of Transportation clear debris ahead of the next storm, and he declared a state of emergency in 35 counties. He said Floridians should prepare for more power outages and disruptions.

“All available state resources … will be mobilized to assist with debris removal,” DeSantis said. “We’re on duty 24/7… it’s all hands on deck.”

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell defended her agency's response to the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene after Republicans' false claims, amplified by former President Donald Trump, created a flood of misinformation in devastated communities.

“This kind of rhetoric is not helpful to people and it's really a disgrace that we're prioritizing politics over helping people,” Criswell told ABC's George Stephanopoulos. It has created fear and distrust among residents of the thousands of FEMA workers and volunteers on the ground in the Southeast, she said.

Still, according to Criswell, the agency is already preparing for Milton long before it becomes clear where exactly it will move to on the Florida Peninsula this week. “We're working with the state there to understand what requirements they're going to have so we can implement those before they land,” she said.

The hurricane center said Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, the Florida Peninsula, the Florida Keys and the northwestern Bahamas should monitor the system's progress. Heavy rain was expected on Sunday ahead of the storm itself, which would then likely be combined with rainfall from Milton to flood waterways and roads in Florida, where forecasters said up to 30 centimeters of rain could fall in places by Wednesday night.

“As of late Tuesday or Wednesday, there is an increasing risk of life-threatening storm surge and wind impacts for portions of the west coast of the Florida Peninsula. “Residents in these areas should ensure they have a hurricane plan in place, follow all advice from local authorities and check for updates to the forecast,” the center said.

The Atlantic hurricane season has become more active Rescuers in the southeastern United States continue to search for missing people Hurricane Helenewhich left a huge trail of death and catastrophic damage from Florida to the Appalachians.

Hurricane Kirk In the open Atlantic, the hurricane developed early into a Category 2 hurricane with peak winds of 105 miles per hour (165 km/h), causing large waves and “life-threatening surf and rip current conditions” to Bermuda and northward along the U.S. and Canadian coasts Coasts, the center, caused said. Hurricane Leslie also moved northwest over the open Atlantic with peak winds of 85 miles per hour (140 km/h) but posed no threat to landfall.