Hurricane Milton, now a category 5 storm, takes aim at Florida's Gulf Coast 

The National Hurricane Center announced just before noon Monday that Milton, bound for Florida but still developing off the Yucatan in the Gulf of Mexico, has now become a Category 5 hurricane — packing winds estimated to be 160 mph.

A 2 p.m. update from the NHC said those winds had increased to 175 mph and urged Floridians in the path of the storm to follow the advice of local officials — even though Milton is still days from a predicted hit on the central Gulf Coast of Florida, tracking a path that will take it across the state and out into the Atlantic Ocean.

Posting on X, the NHC wrote: "Milton rapidly intensifies into a category 5 hurricane."

On the NHC website, officials wrote: "Damaging hurricane-force winds are expected across portions of the northern coast of the Yucatán Peninsula. A life-threatening storm surge with damaging waves is also likely along portions of the northern coast of the Yucatán Peninsula."

The NHC also said: "There is 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."

Storm Surge and Hurricane Watches are also now in effect for the west coast of Florida, the NHC predicting: "Areas of heavy rainfall will impact portions of Florida today well ahead of Milton, with heaving rainfall more directly related to the system expected later on Tuesday through Wednesday night. This rainfall will bring the risk of considerable flash, urban, and areal flooding, along with the potential for moderate to major river flooding."

The hurricane follows fast on the heels of Hurricane Helene, which caused catastrophic damage late last month, storming across Florida and the South, leaving 227 dead and devastating towns and cities from Florida to North Carolina with damaging winds and torrential, flooding rains.

In advance of Milton, major Florida airports were reporting minor delays, but the Federal Aviation Administration posted an advisory on X urging passengers to contact their airline carriers to check on potential cancellations and delays.

The FAA posted: "Check your flight status with your airline before you leave home, even if it’s forecast to be sunny where you are, weather across the country can affect flights. Get real-time airport updates at www.fly.faa.gov."

Tampa International Airport reported having 501 scheduled departures and arrivals Monday, with just two cancellations — an American Airlines flight to Dallas / Fort Worth and an American Airlines flight to Charlotte — though 75 delays were being reported as of 2 p.m. Orlando International Airport and Southwest International Airport in Fort Myers on the west coast of Florida were showing only minor delays as of 2 p.m.

The NHC was predicting Milton to make landfall on the Florida Gulf Coast sometime between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Wednesday, the bulk of the storm roaring across central Florida before moving out over the Atlantic sometime Thursday.

That storm track will likely taking Milton far south of Long Island, though directly toward Bermuda.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”