October 8, 9:00 a.m.
Milton remains a powerful and dangerous storm. Milton currently a category 4 storm but is expected to regain wind intensity back up to cat. 5 later this afternoon after undergoing an eyewall replacement cycle. As Milton makes a turn to the northeast, the outer rain bands coming ashore can produce tornadoes across much of the Florida Peninsula on Wednesday. Life threatening, record surge is expected in Tampa Bay, where there can be 10-15 ft of storm surge. Milton is forecast to make landfall as a cat. 3 major hurricane, but can potentially make landfall at cat. 4 strength since it is possible the shear to the west will not be as strong as previously thought.
Hurricane Leslie is slowly losing intensity in the open central Atlantic and is not expected to directly impact land. There are also two areas the NHC has highlighted for potential development, but neither will have any impacts to Texas.
October 7, 10:00 p.m.
Milton’s winds weakened to 165 mph but it’s still a category 5 storm. The weakening is due to an eyewall replacement cycle. It may very well stay a category 5 storm through Tuesday since it’ll be moving through a very warm eddy of water called the Loop Current. It’s expected to hit the west coast of Florida near Tampa Bay Wednesday night as at least a category 3 hurricane.
October 7, 4:00 p.m.
Category 5 Hurricane Milton is now tied with Hurricane Rita for the third strongest hurricane on record over the Gulf of Mexico with winds of 180 mph and gusts up to 220 mph. It is still expected to make landfall as a category 3 hurricane Wednesday night along Florida’s west coast with a storm surge up to 15 feet possible in Tampa Bay.
