Hurricane Milton is slowly strengthening in the Gulf of Mexico. It is forecast to become a major hurricane and impact Florida by midweek.
What You Need To Know
Hurricane Milton
Hurricane Milton continues its rapid strengthening in the Gulf of Mexico and is forecast to become a major hurricane by midweek. The track is different from Helene in that the storm is expected to stay on a more eastern path, instead of making a turn to the north. This would put Central Florida in the path.
While we still have time to watch the storm's progression, anyone in the peninsula of Florida should monitor the forecasts very closely. All hazards would be possible if Milton's forecast holds, including storm surge flooding along the Gulf coast, heavy rainfall and damaging winds near and south of the center of the storm, and spin-up tornadoes that could form in Milton's outer rain bands.
Hurricane Kirk
Kirk formed in the eastern Atlantic on Sunday, Sept. 29, becoming a hurricane on Monday Sept. 30. It’s the eleventh named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season.
By Tuesday, Oct. 1, Kirk strengthened into a hurricane, making it the seventh hurricane of the 2024 season and third major hurricane of the season.
On the morning of Friday, Oct. 4, Kirk reached peak intensity with winds of 145 mph. By the evening, it had weakened and winds decreased.
On Sunday, Oct. 6, Kirk weakened and has winds of 100 mph. It is expected to continue this trend.
Kirk does not pose any threat to land but remnants could move over Europe next week.
Hurricane Leslie
Hurricane Leslie formed on Wednesday, Oct. 2 in the eastern tropical Atlantic. It strengthened into a hurricane late in the day on Oct. 4, making it the eighth hurricane of the 2024 season.
As of Sunday, Oct. 6, Leslie has maximum winds of 90 mph and could intensify even further.
The storm does not pose any threat to land.
African Easterly Wave
A tropical wave will move westward off the coast of Africa early next week. Development is possible as it drifts west into the eastern Tropical Atlantic.
It has low odds of developing over the next week.
Here's a look at the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season so far.
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