TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Hurricane Milton projected landfall moved forward Wednesday, as the storm closed in on Florida’s west coast at 17 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center’s 5 pm update.

Milton was upgraded to a Category 5 Hurricane at noon Monday but weakened to a Category 4 Tuesday before restrengthening to a Cat 5 the same day. The storm lost some power as it neared the coast, and was downgraded again to a Category 3 Wednesday evening.

The center of the storm wobbled north Wednesday afternoon, before an expected shift Eastward into Thursday, according to the NHC. Maximum sustained winds were 120 mph as of the 5 pm update.

Overnight storm surges were projected in the 6-9 foot range for Tampa, to as high as 9-13 feet for Santa Maria Island.

As of 5 pm, NOAA storm surge warnings were in effect for:
– Florida west coast from Flamingo northward to Yankeetown,
including Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay
– Sebastian Inlet Florida to Altamaha Sound Georgia, including the
St. Johns River

A Hurricane Warning was in effect for:
– Florida west coast from Bonita Beach northward to Suwannee River,
including Tampa Bay
– Florida east coast from the St. Lucie/Martin County Line northward
to Ponte Vedra Beach

A Hurricane Watch was in effect for:
– Lake Okeechobee
– Florida east coast from the St. Lucie/Martin County Line to the
Palm Beach/Martin County Line

A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for:
– Florida Keys, including Dry Tortugas and Florida Bay
– Lake Okeechobee
– Florida west coast from Flamingo to south of Bonita Beach
– Florida west coast from north of Suwanee River to Indian Pass
– Florida east coast south of the St. Lucie/Martin County Line to
Flamingo
– North of Ponte Vedra Beach Florida to Edisto Beach South Carolina
– Extreme northwestern Bahamas, including Grand Bahama Island, the
Abacos, and Bimini

Be prepared with the 2024 Hurricane Guide and stay ahead of tropical development with the Tracking the Tropics newsletter.