Hurricane Milton tracker: Category 4 storm heads toward Florida's Gulf Coast, massive evacuations ordered

Hurricane Milton was downgraded from a dangerous Category 5 storm overnight but remained a very powerful Category 4 hurricane Tuesday as it took aim at Florida's Gulf Coast, which is still reeling from Helene's record-breaking landfall just over a week ago.

The storm's maximum sustained winds had dropped to 140 mph but are now 155 mph, just below Category 5 status.

"Milton's intensity has rebounded," the National Hurricane Center said in its 2 p.m. ET update. "While fluctuations in intensity are expected, Milton is forecast to remain an extremely dangerous hurricane through landfall in Florida."

The center of the storm is expected to make landfall in the Tampa area Wednesday evening and move east-northeast across central Florida on Thursday.

Fifty-one counties in the state are under a state of emergency, with millions facing the prospect of evacuation.

Hurricane Milton live updates: Category 4 storm to make landfall Wednesday night

Speaking at a press conference Tuesday morning, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis emphasized that while wind speeds may have slowed, Milton is "still a major hurricane” with the potential to strengthen again before it makes landfall.

“Even if it does weaken, you’re still looking at a major hurricane," DeSantis said. "It is going to have really, really significant impacts.”

If it remains on its current path, Milton could be the worst storm to hit the Tampa area in over 100 years.

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

Where is Hurricane Milton and what is its path?

As of 2 p.m. ET Tuesday:

Milton was located around 125 miles northeast of Progreso, Mexico.

It was about 520 miles southwest of Tampa.

The storm had maximum sustained winds of 155 mph.

The storm was moving east-northeast at 8 mph.

The NHC warned morning that "a large area of destructive storm surge" will occur along parts of Florida's west coast.

“This is an extremely life-threatening situation and residents in those areas should follow advice given by local officials and evacuate immediately if told to do so,” the hurricane center said.

Portions of the Florida Peninsula and the Florida Keys can expect rainfall of 5 to 10 inches, with localized totals up to 15 inches through Wednesday night. Such rainfall brings “the risk of considerable flash, urban and areal flooding, along with the potential for moderate to major river flooding,” meteorologists said.

Meanwhile, portions of the northern Yucatán Peninsula can expect 2 to 4 inches of rainfall.

Watches and warnings

As of 2 p.m. ET Tuesday, a hurricane warning is in effect for:

Celestún to Rio Lagartos, Mexico

Florida’s west coast, from Bonita Beach to Suwannee River, including Tampa Bay

Florida's east coast from the Indian River/St. Lucie County line northward to Ponte Vedra Beach

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

A hurricane watch is in effect for:

Florida’s west coast, from Chokoloskee to south of Bonita Beach

Rio Lagartos to Cabo Catoche

Dry Tortugas

Lake Okeechobee

A “hurricane watch” means hurricane conditions are possible within the areas and is usually issued 48 hours before the hurricane is anticipated to hit.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for:

Rio Lagartos to Cancún

All of the Florida Keys, including Dry Tortugas and Florida Bay

Lake Okeechobee

Florida's west coast ,from Flamingo to south of Bonita Beach

Florida west coast from north of the mouth of the Suwanee River to Indian Pass

Florida east coast south of the Indian River/St. Lucie County Line to Flamingo

Florida east coast north of Ponte Vedra Beach to the mouth of the St. Mary's River

A "tropical storm warning" means tropical storm conditions are expected in the areas within the next 36 hours.

A tropical storm watch is in effect for:

Coast of Georgia and South Carolina, north of St. Mary's River to South Santee River in South Carolina

Extreme northwestern Bahamas, including Grand Bahama Island, the Abacos and Bimini

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

A storm surge warning is in effect for:

The west coast of Florida from Flamingo to Suwannee River, including Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor

The east coast of Florida from the Volusia/Brevard County line northward to the mouth of the St. Mary's River, including the St. Johns River

A "storm surge warning" means there is a danger of life-threatening inundation during the next 36 hours.

A storm surge watch is in effect for:

South of Port Canaveral to Sebastian Inlet, Fla.

Mouth of the St. Mary's River to Edisto Beach

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

Evacuation orders

As of Tuesday afternoon, the Florida Division of Emergency Management had ordered mandatory evacuations for people living in evacuation zones in 13 Florida counties, and voluntary evacuations for six others.

DeSantis urged residents to follow evacuation orders but stressed they do not have to travel far to be safe.

“You don’t have to evacuate hundreds of miles,” DeSantis said at a press conference Monday. “If you’re in areas that are susceptible to storm surge, you go to areas that are not susceptible to that. Every county has places within them where you can go. Maybe it’s a friend’s house, maybe it’s a hotel, maybe it’s a shelter.”

Mandatory evacuations are in effect for:

Charlotte County

Citrus County

Collier County

Hernando County

Hillsborough County

Lee County

Levy County

Manatee County

Pasco County

Pinellas County

Sarasota County

St. Johns County

Volusia County

Voluntary evacuations are in effect for:

Dixie County

Hardee County

Glades County

Miami-Dade County

Okeechobee County

Union County

To figure out whether you live in an evacuation zone, click here.

Milton comes 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 call Monday afternoon, FEMA noted that the organization will not be diverting any personnel already working in areas affected by Hurricane Helene to Milton’s path just yet.

After making landfall with 140 mph winds, Helene moved inland across the Southeast, leaving more than 200 people dead and widespread destruction in its wake. Following the storm, Florida’s infrastructure and emergency services have been stretched thin.

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

Active hurricane season

Hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30, but the peak of heightened activity is usually from August through October. According to NOAA, a "typical" hurricane season in the Atlantic will usually see around 14 named storms, "of which seven become hurricanes and three become major hurricanes."

As of early October, eight hurricanes have formed in the Atlantic — with Milton becoming the 13th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. As CNN notes, hurricane season is running ahead of the expected schedule. Typically, the 13th storm of the season wouldn't hit until at least Oct. 25.

Last week, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas warned that FEMA did not have the funds to make it through the season. President Biden said last week that Congress may need to pass a supplemental spending bill in the next couple of months to help fund states' recovery efforts.