Florida Warning: Tropical Storm Milton could hit the west coast of the state in the middle of this week

The storm Tropical Miltonwhich was created in Gulf of Mexico This Saturday, that could intensify until it becomes a a hurricane and hit Florida’s west coast later this week, weather forecasters warned. National Hurricane Center (NHC).

According to the 10 a.m. report from the NHC, the system is currently about 500 kilometers northwest of Progreso, Mexicoand 1,350 kilometers southwest of it TampaFlorida. With maximum sustained winds of 100 kph and moving to the north-northeast at 9 kph, Milton is moving slowly but with the potential to strengthen quickly.

“Milton moving slowly, but expect it to intensify quickly“, the National Hurricane Center pointed out, saying that “there is an increasing risk of life-threatening impacts in several areas of the west coast of Florida.”

Authorities explained that maximum sustained winds increased to nearly 60 mph (95 km/h) with stronger storms. And they warned: “Rapid strengthening is expected in the next few days. Milton is expected to become a hurricane tonight, and could become a major hurricane as it moves through the central and eastern Gulf of Mexico.”

Because Milton, governor of Florida, came Ron DeSantishas declared a state of emergency in 35 counties in the state.

“Although no coastal warnings have been issued yet, we must be prepared for any eventuality. “I urge all Floridians in the path of the storm to make sure they have a hurricane plan and follow the recommendations of local authorities,” DeSantis said in a statement.

The governor asked Florida Department of Emergency Management and Department of Transportation to coordinate essential resources to help local communities, many of which are still recovering from Hurricane Helene last week.

“We are speeding up debris removal and ensuring all necessary resources are available to deal with this new threat” DeSantis said.

According to the National Hurricane CenterAlthough no specific warnings have been given for the coast yet, it is expected that the state will start receiving heavy rain starting this Sunday. This could lead to showers and urban flooding in several areas, as well as an increased risk of storm surge and strong winds beginning Tuesday or Wednesday.

“There is an increasing risk of life-threatening storms and winds along parts of the west coast of the Florida panhandle. “Residents should make sure they have an evacuation plan and stay tuned for planned updates,” the Center warned.

Meanwhile, the Mexican government issued a tropical storm warning for the coast from Celestun to Cabo Catoche. “Tropical storms are expected somewhere within the warning area within 36 hours,” the NHC said.

As Milton threatens to hit Florida, the Hurricane Kirk still like a hurricane section 4 in the Atlantic Ocean, with maximum sustained winds of 185 kph. Despite not posing an immediate threat to the US coast, the National Hurricane Center reported that the storm surge produced by the hurricane could cause “life-threatening” conditions on the Caribbean islands and US east coast.

For his part, the Hurricane Leslielocated 1,375 kilometers west of the Cape Verde Islandscontinuing the movement to the northwest without a threat to land, with maximum sustained winds of 130 kph.

Meteorologists are urging the public to stay informed and follow the recommendations of the authorities, as the Atlantic weather outlook is still active.

(With information from The Associated Press)