Hurricane Milton Downgraded to ‘Extremely Powerful’ Category 4 as it Approaches Florida

WASHINGTON (TNND) — Hurricane Milton weakened slightly Tuesday morning to a Category 4 storm before it is expected to make landfall as a Category 3 hurricane Wednesday night into Thursday morning.

The maximum sustained winds were155 mph, and the National Hurricane Center classified the storm as “extremely powerful.”

“While fluctuations in intensity are expected, Milton is forecast to remain an extremely dangerous hurricane through landfall in Florida,” the center said in an overnight update.

On Monday, the National Weather Service in Tampa said if the storm stays on the current track, it will be the worst storm to impact the area in over 100 years.

It is the second hurricane to hit the Florida coastline within two weeks. Florida, North Carolina and much of the south are still recovering from the destruction caused by the Category 4 Helene on Sept. 26.

More than 200 people were killed across six states in the deadliest named storm to hit the U.S. since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, according to Axios.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis addressed the media with the latest updates Tuesday morning at the State Emergency Operation Center in Tallahassee.

“Hurricane Milton is still a major hurricane. It is no longer a category five, but it potentially could strengthen back to that as it makes its approach to the state of Florida,” he said while encouraging residents to brace for “significant impacts.”

Around 37,000 linemen are either in Florida or headed to the state to help with power outages, DeSantis said. Additionally, 27 fuel trucks were escorted by Florida Highway Patrol overnight to help gas stations running out of fuel.

“Now, there is no fuel shortage. Fuel continues to arrive in the state of Florida by port and what we’re doing to bring it in on the ground, but lines at gas stations have been long,” DeSantis stated. “Gas stations are running out quicker than they otherwise would and so that is causing the state of Florida to help assist with the mission to be able to get fuel to the gas station so that Floridians have access.”

DeSantis expanded his state of emergency declaration Sunday to 51 counties and urged residents to prepare for potential power outages, restock hurricane kits, fill their gas tanks, stay alert for emergency alerts, know their evacuation zones, and ensure they have enough food and water for seven days.

The governor added debris from Hurricane Helene needed to be cleared before Milton’s arrival so they don’t become projectiles.

More than a dozen Florida counties were under mandatory evacuation orders Monday. DeSantis also suspended tolls across central and west Florida to try and make travel easier.

Forecasters warned of a possible 8- to 12-foot storm surge in Tampa Bay and said flash and river flooding could result from 5 to 10 inches of rain in mainland Florida and the Keys, with as much as 15 inches in places.

Tampa International Airport posted on X that it will suspend flights at 9 a.m. Tuesday and reopen “when it is safe to do so” and added the airport is not a shelter for people or vehicles.

The Florida Division of Emergency Services announced it had partnered with Uber to provide free rides to and from shelters as residents plan to evacuate.

President Joe Biden announced Monday he approved an emergency declaration for Florida, as well as ordered federal assistance to supplement response efforts that might occur due to emergency conditions from Hurricane Milton.

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Editor’s note: The Associated Press contributed to this article.