The NBC2 First Alert Hurricane Tracking team continues monitoring Category 3 Hurricane Milton as it is set to make a landfall on west coast of Florida within the next 12 hours.
As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, the storm is producing maximum sustained winds of 125 mph with a movement toward the northeast at 17 mph. The storm's pressure is being listed at 950 mb.
Milton's wind field has greatly expanded over the last 24 hours and tropical storm-force winds will be in place across Southwest Florida this evening through late tonight.
Rain bands ahead of the storm have prompted at least five confirmed tornado touchdowns in Southwest Florida. Several neighborhoods in Fort Myers have seen significant damage in neighborhoods across Lee County.
Watches and Warnings
A storm surge warning remains active for coastal Southwest Florida. For coastal Lee and Charlotte counties, a peak storm surge of 8-12 feet is possible. For the immediate coast in Charlotte County, 10-15' of storm surge is possible. For coastal Collier County, 5-8 feet of storm surge is possible.
A hurricane warning remains active in Lee, Charlotte, and DeSoto Counties.
A
tornado watch
will remain active for all of Southwest Florida until 9 p.m. Wednesday.
A hurricane watch remains active for Collier, Glades, and Hendry Counties.
A flood watch remains active for all of Southwest Florida through Thursday morning.
Where is the Storm Going?
The storm is forecast to approach western Florida as a major hurricane when it makes landfall late tonight or early Thursday morning. As wind shear has been increasing ahead of landfall, the storm is projected to make landfall as a Category 3 storm.
It is important not to focus on the center of the forecast cone.
The cone communicates where the center of the hurricane is most likely to be at a certain point in time, and though it is most likely the worst of the winds from the eye will be north of Lee County, it remains possible for the storm to jog southward bringing more substantial wind threats to our community.
What Impacts Will Happen Where I Live?
The biggest threat to our community is storm surge.
Evacuation zones in Southwest Florida are drawn on the risk of storm surge flooding. If you live in an evacuation zone that has been ordered to leave, it is possible for storm surge flooding to reach your location.
Evacuation orders are active for zones A, B and C in Charlotte County, zones A and B in Lee County and zones A and B in Collier County.
Times of gusty wind--at or above hurricane force--will remain possible in much of our area through this evening along with risk of additional spin-up tornadoes.
Rainfall totals of 2 to 5 additional inches of rain will be possible within the next 2 days.
When Should I Expect Impacts?
Rain bands will be the main impact in Southwest Florida this afternoon and evening.
Storm surge will be the main impact in Southwest Florida this evening, overnight tonight and into early Thursday.
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