MIAMI (AP) — People across Florida were given notice Sunday that Milton, for now just a tropical storm off the coast of Mexico, could intensify rapidly into a major hurricane before slamming midweek into the storm-ravaged Gulf Coast.

Tropical Storm Milton’s center was about 860 miles (1,385 kilometers) west-southwest of Tampa, Florida, early Sunday, heading east at 5 mph (7 kph) with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 kph), the National Hurricane Center in Miami said.

“Milton is moving slowly but is expected to strengthen rapidly,” the center said. “There is increasing confidence that a powerful hurricane with life-threatening hazards will be affecting portions of the Florida west coast around the middle of this week.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Sunday that while it remains to be seen just where Milton will strike, it’s clear that Florida is going to be hit hard — “I don’t think there’s any scenario where we don’t have major impacts at this point.”

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

DeSantis said as many as 4,000 National Guard troops are helping the Florida Division of Emergency Management and the Florida Department of Transportation to remove debris, and he declared a state of emergency in 35 counties ahead of Milton. He said Floridians should prepare for more power outages and disruption.

“All available state assets … are being marshaled to help remove debris,” DeSantis said. “We’re going 24-7 … it’s all hands on deck.”

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

“This kind of rhetoric is not helpful to people and it’s really a shame we’re putting politics ahead of helping people,” Criswell told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos. It’s created fear and mistrust among residents against the thousands of FEMA employees and volunteers on the ground across the southeast, she said.

Despite this, Criswell said the agency is already preparing for Milton, well before it’s clear exactly where it will move across the Florida peninsula this week. “We’re working with the state there to understand what their requirements are going to be, so we can have those in place before it makes landfall,” 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 rainfall was expected Sunday ahead of the storm itself, and will likely then combine with Milton’s rainfall to flood waterways and streets in Florida, where forecasters said up to a foot (30 centimeters) of rain could fall in places through Wednesday night.

“There is an increasing risk of life-threatening storm surge and wind impacts for portions of the west coast of the Florida Peninsula beginning late Tuesday or Wednesday. Residents in these areas should ensure they have their hurricane plan in place, follow any advice given by local officials, and check back for updates to the forecast,” the center said.

The Atlantic hurricane season has become more active as rescuers in the U.S. Southeast continue to search for people unaccounted for in the wake of Hurricane Helene, which left a huge trail of death and catastrophic damage from Florida into the Appalachian mountains.

Hurricane Kirk diminished to a Category 2 hurricane in the open Atlantic early, with top winds of 105 mph (165 kph), sending large swells and “life-threatening surf and rip current conditions” to Bermuda and northward along the U.S. and Canadian coasts, the center said. Hurricane Leslie also was moving northwest over the open Atlantic, with top winds of 85 mph (140 kph) but posing no threats to land.

CNN
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Communities in Florida are being urged to prepare for a potential Category 3 hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico just days after Hurricane Helene made landfall in the state – killing at least 20 people in Florida, leaving thousands without power and paving a trail of wreckage.

While the state is still clearing debris from Helene – which made landfall September 26 on Florida’s Big Bend as a Category 4 and created a 500-mile path of destruction with catastrophic flooding and damaging winds – it’s now contending with Tropical Storm Milton.

The storm is expected to “quickly intensify while it moves eastward to northeastward across the Gulf of Mexico and be at or near major hurricane strength when it reaches the west coast of the Florida Peninsula mid week,” the National Hurricane Center said.

“The big question is how quickly and by how much will the storm intensify,” the hurricane center said.

Milton is projected to make landfall in Florida at up to Category 3 strength with 115 mph winds. On Sunday, hurricane and storm surge watches will likely be issued for parts of the Florida coast – with dangerous storm surge expected for some areas just slammed by Helene.

“Regardless of the details, there is increasing confidence that a powerful hurricane with life-threatening hazards will be affecting portions of the Florida west coast around the middle of next week,” the hurricane center said, adding that rainfall will impact parts of Florida Sunday and Monday.

Milton formed in the western Gulf on Saturday morning, just hours after it became a tropical depression, the National Hurricane Center said in a special alert. The 13th named storm is running weeks ahead of schedule as it doesn’t usually occur until October 25.

“The official intensity forecasts call for Milton to become a hurricane in about 36 hours, and a major hurricane by 72 hours,” the National Hurricane Center said Saturday.

The quickly strengthening storm could bring life-threatening impacts to parts of the west coast of Florida beginning late Tuesday or Wednesday. With very low vertical wind shear and incredibly warm sea-surface temperatures, Milton will be able to gain steady to rapid strength over the next few days.

In preparation for the storm, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 35 counties Saturday, according to a release from his office. The storm could prolong recovery efforts from Helene and impact Florida Gulf Coast communities still recuperating from Helene, the release said.

“As many continue to recover from Hurricane Helene, I have directed the Florida Division of Emergency Management and the Florida Department of Transportation to coordinate all available personnel and resources to supplement local communities as they expedite debris removal in impacted areas,” DeSantis said in a social media post Saturday. “We will continue staging state assets to prepare for efficient search and rescue, power restoration, and roadway clearing.”

Heavy rain is a growing concern, the hurricane center says. “Rainfall amounts of 5 to 8 inches, with localized totals up to 12 inches, are expected across portions of the Florida Peninsula and the Keys through Wednesday night,” the center said. “This rainfall will bring the risk of flash, urban, and areal flooding, along with minor to moderate river flooding.”

There is also an increasing risk of storm surge for the western Florida Peninsula as early as late Tuesday or Wednesday. Damaging winds, tornadoes and waterspouts will also be possible next week.

It’s only been a little over a week since Helene slammed the state, but officials across Florida are already asking residents to prepare for another potentially life-threatening storm as many are still in recovery mode.

“Here we go again,” said the police department in Naples, Florida, adding heavy rainfall and flooding concerns will increase starting Sunday through the middle of next week. Authorities urged residents not to drive on streets with water over them.

Once again, Florida’s emergency officials find themselves announcing sandbag distribution sites. Multiple sandbag locations will be open in counties preparing for potential storm impacts, the Florida Division of Emergency Management announced Saturday.

The town of Fort Myers Beach warned residents “to stay vigilant and prepared,” and said residents could pick up sandbags at the town hall.

“Those that live in the areas prone to flooding, please be aware that the Town’s stormwater system will not alleviate water breaching the seawalls from the back bay,” the town said in a Facebook post.

In the city of Sanibel, which received more than 50 inches of rainfall prior to the storm surge flooding caused by Helene, residents and business owners have been urged to begin preparing for impacts from the storm “as soon as possible.”

“Residents and business owners should anticipate Tropical Storm or Hurricane Milton will likely bring flooding to Sanibel,” the city said in a news release Saturday. “Residents and business owners who are in low-lying areas of Sanibel, or who may not feel safe in their structure during a storm, should consider finding alternative accommodations in advance of the storm’s arrival.”

Since Helene hit the city, crews have worked throughout the island to clear storm drains and debris and manage weirs to increase storage capacity of storm water, the city said.

Sanibel officials encouraged residents to clear debris from drainage areas near their homes or businesses before any heavy rainfall.

Another area in the potential path of Milton is Pinellas County, which reported more than 28,000 properties had been damaged or destroyed by Helene. Officials said it’s too early to tell how Milton will impact the county, but residents could prepare by picking up sandbags at county sites starting Sunday.

As part of an effort to clear debris caused by Helene, the governor ordered “Disaster Debris Management Sites and landfills in all counties impacted by Hurricane Helene to remain open and allow twenty-four hour debris drop off,” the Saturday news release from his office said. That’s part of the state’s effort to ensure as much debris from Helene is cleaned up and disposed of ahead of the impending storm, the release said.

In hard-hit Pinellas County, where thousands of homes have been wrecked or obliterated by Helene, displaced residents who are picking up the pieces may soon have to endure another storm.

“Some of us cry, some of us hug each other, and then we just put our big girl panties on and keep going,” St. Petersburg resident Debbie Bright told CNN affiliate WFTS. Her home has been destroyed and everything she owns is now in a 5-by-10-foot storage unit, she said.

Bright said she was in complete shock when she saw the devastation in her neighborhood.

“I have four grandchildren and this is the only place they’ve ever known and they come in. And they are crying because this was nanny and papi’s house,” Bright said.

Bright stayed in Palm Harbor during the storm, but the storm surge came through her backdoor and pulled much of her furniture into the bay, she said.

“We are on day number seven here and when I got here this morning, I sat in a chair and we cried, and then we are ok and then we cry again,” Bright told WFTS.

The only thing keeping her community going is having supportive neighbors, Bright said. All she can hope for at this point is that her community recovers quickly.

“It’s kind of one hour at a time, one day at a time,” Bright said.