Hurricane Milton strengthens into Category 5. Here’s what Florida can expect.

MIAMI — A hurricane watch has been issued for Lake Okeechobee as Hurricane Milton rapidly strengthens on its way to Florida’s Gulf Coast. Milton grew into a Category 5 hurricane Monday morning.
Weakening to a Category 3 is forecast when Milton makes landfall on Florida’s Gulf coast in the middle of the week. The most likely path suggests it could make landfall in or near the Tampa Bay area.
In the 2 p.m. update from the National Hurricane Center, maximum sustained winds were 175 mph, up 15 mph from two hours earlier. Milton was about 700 miles from Tampa and was moving eastward at 9 mph.
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Saturday declared a state of emergency in 35 of 67 counties ahead of Milton’s expected landfall. In the state of emergency bulletin, DeSantis included Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. That number has since increased to 51 counties.    
The governor said Monday that 5,000 National Guard members have been deployed in response to Milton. An additional 3,000 members are expected to be mobilized before landfall.
According to the National Hurricane Center, Milton is forecast to move east-southeastward to eastward for the next 36 hours or so, followed by a turn toward the northeast at a faster forward speed. It is expected to speed up and intensify between Monday and Tuesday.
Parts of Florida are under storm surge and hurricane watches. The National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane watch for Florida’s Gulf coast from Chokoloskee to the mouth of the Suwanee River, including Tampa Bay, as well as for the Dry Tortugas, and Lake Okeechobee. A storm surge watch was issued for the Gulf coast from Flamingo northward to the Suwannee River, including Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay.
A tropical storm watch is in effect for the Lower, Middle and Upper Florida Keys, including Florida Bay, as well as for the Gulf coast from Flamingo to south of Chokoloskee, and for the Gulf coast north of the mouth of the Suwanee River to Indian Pass.
Dangerous storm surge is expected, the hurricane center said. Tampa Bay, as well as the Anclote River to Englewood, Florida, could see storm surge as high as 12 feet. Charlotte Harbor and the area from Yankeetown to the Anclote River, as well as the area from Englewood to Bonita Beach, could see as much as 10 feet of surge. Bonita Beach to Chokoloskee could see up to 7 feet, while the Suwannee River to Yankeetown could get up to 5 feet of storm surge.  
“The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast near and to the south of the landfall location, where the surge will be accompanied by large and dangerous waves,” the hurricane center said.
“Rainfall amounts of 5 to 10 inches, with localized totals up to 15 inches, are expected across portions of the Florida Peninsula and the Keys through Wednesday night,” the hurricane center said. “This rainfall brings the risk of considerable flash, urban, and areal flooding, along with the potential for moderate to major river flooding.”
The ongoing rounds of showers and storms will prime Florida soils for what will likely be an increasing flood risk set to continue into the week ahead.     
South Florida will receive a “one-two punch” with the system. A weaker and non-tropical area of low pressure began to swing through on Sunday and will continue on Monday, bringing South Florida’s first round of heavy rain and potential flooding. By Tuesday, there will be a slight break with a few storms across the area.   
The second “punch” will be Milton, forecast to arrive at the Gulf Coast on Wednesday afternoon, bringing more heavy rain and windy weather. 
Depending on its track, Milton could bring tropical storm conditions very early Wednesday for most of South Florida; however, the Florida Keys could see these conditions earlier.
For now, South Florida’s main threat continues to be the risk of rainwater flooding, with 4 to 7 inches or more looking likely across the area. 
South Florida is under a flood watch through Thursday.