Hurricane Milton intensified again on Tuesday, once again becoming a dangerous Category 5 storm 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 increased to 165 mph, putting the storm back into a Category 5, the National Hurricane Center said in its 8 p.m. ET bulletin, which warned of “life-threatening storm surges and winds” for “parts of the Gulf Coast of Florida. .”

“Fluctuations in intensity are likely as Milton moves over the eastern Gulf of Mexico,” the National Hurricane Center said in its update, “but Milton is expected to be a dangerous major hurricane as it reaches the west-central coast of Florida.”

The center of the storm is expected to make landfall in the Tampa area late Wednesday or early morning hours of Thursday and move east to northeast across central Florida on Thursday.

A state of emergency is in effect in 51 provinces of the state, while millions of people face the prospect of evacuation.

During a news conference Tuesday morning, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis emphasized that while wind speeds may have decreased, Milton is “still a major hurricane” with the potential to strengthen again before making landfall.

“Even if it weakens, you’re still dealing with a major hurricane,” DeSantis said. “It will have really major consequences.”

If the storm stays on its current path, Milton could be the worst storm to hit the Tampa area in more than 100 years.

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

Where is Hurricane Milton and what is its path?

From 5:00 PM ET Tuesday:

• Milton was located about 200 miles west-southwest of the Dry Tortugas.

• It was about 480 miles southwest of Tampa.

• The storm had maximum sustained winds of 165 mph.

• The storm was moving from east to northeast at a speed of 15 km/h.

The NHC warned morning that “a large area of ​​destructive storm surge” will occur along portions of Florida’s west coast.

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

Parts of the Florida Peninsula and the Florida Keys can expect rainfall of 5 to 10 inches through Wednesday night, with local totals of up to 15 inches. Such rainfall brings “the risk of significant flooding, urban and regional flooding, along with the possibility of moderate to major river flooding,” meteorologists said.

Meanwhile, parts of the northern Yucatán Peninsula can expect 2 to 4 inches of rain.

Watches and warnings

As of Tuesday 5:00 PM ET, a hurricane warning is in effect for:

• The west coast of Florida, from Bonita Beach north to the Suwannee River, including Tampa Bay

• The east coast of Florida from the St. Lucie/Martin County Line north to Ponte Vedra Beach

A ‘hurricane warning’ means hurricane conditions are expected in the area. Precautions and preparation for people and property must be completed.

A hurricane watching is in effect for:

• The west coast of Florida, from Chokoloskee to south of Bonita Beach

• Rio Lagartos to Cabo Catoche

• Dry Tortugas

• Lake Okeechobee

A “hurricane watch” means that hurricane conditions are possible within the areas and is typically issued 48 hours before the hurricane is expected to strike.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for:

• Dzilam to Cancun, Mexico

• All Florida Keys, including Dry Tortugas and Florida Bay

• Lake Okeechobee

• The west coast of Florida, from Flamingo to south of Bonita Beach

• West coast of Florida, from north of the mouth of the Suwanee River to Indian Pass

• East coast of Florida, south of the Indian River/St. Lucie County line to Flamingo

• The east coast of Florida, north from Ponte Vedra Beach to Altamaha Sound, Georgia.

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

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 from 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 Sebastian Inlet, Florida, to Altamaha Sound, Georgia, including the St. Johns River

A ‘storm surge warning’ means there is a life-threatening flood risk over the next 36 hours.

A watching storm surge is in effect for:

• South from Port Canaveral to Sebastian Inlet, Florida.

• Mouth of the St. Mary’s River to Edisto Beach

A “storm surge watch” means that there is a risk 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 seven others.

DeSantis urged residents to follow evacuation orders, but stressed they don’t have to travel far to be safe.

“You don’t have to evacuate hundreds of miles,” DeSantis said at a news conference Monday. “If you are in areas that are prone to storm surge, you go to areas that are not prone to that. Every province has places 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 province

• Collier County

• Hernando County

• Hillsborough County

• Lee County

• Levy County

• Manatee County

• Pasco County

• Pinellas County

• Sarasota County

• St. John’s County

• Volusia County

Voluntary evacuations are in effect for:

• Dixie County

• Hardee County

• Glades County

• Lake County

• Miami Dade County

• Okeechobee County

• Union Province

To find out if you live in an evacuation area, click here.

Milton arrives days after Helene

Hurricane Milton comes just over a week after Hurricane Helene made landfall in the Big Bend region of Florida as a monstrous Category 4 storm, causing at least 20 deaths in Florida alone.

During a news conference Monday afternoon, FEMA noted that the agency will not yet divert personnel already working in areas affected by Hurricane Helene into Milton’s path.

After making landfall with 140 mph winds, Helene moved inland across the southeast, killing more than 200 people and causing widespread destruction. After the storm, Florida’s infrastructure and emergency services are stretched thin.

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

Active hurricane season

Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, but the peak of increased activity is usually from August to October. According to NOAA, a “typical” Atlantic hurricane season will usually see about fourteen named storms, “seven of which become hurricanes and three of which become major hurricanes.”

By early October, eight hurricanes have formed in the Atlantic Ocean, with Milton becoming the thirteenth storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. As CNN notes, hurricane season is ahead of the expected schedule. Normally, the 13th storm of the season wouldn’t hit until October 25.

Last week, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas warned that FEMA did not have the resources to get through the season. President Biden said last week that Congress may need to pass a supplemental spending bill in the coming months to help fund states’ recovery efforts.