The National Hurricane Center described Hurricane Milton's evolution as "remarkable," as it has rapidly become the strongest hurricane to emerge from the Gulf of Mexico since Hurricane Michael in 2018. When it hits Florida, residents are told to expect widespread power outages as well as damage to infrastructure.

Forecasters say Milton is expected to be a hurricane small in size, but Jacksonville will still be impacted with rain, flooding and high winds.

The storm is forecast to strengthen and bring the risk of life-threatening impacts to portions of Florida’s West Coast next week, with hurricane and storm-surge watches likely being in effect Sunday.

The last time the eye of a major storm like Hurricane Milton struck Tampa Bay, in 1921, the city was a sleepy backwater of a few hundred thousands people. A century later, it's among the fastest-growing metropolises in the United States,

Tampa Bay – the nation's most vulnerable metro area to storm surge – could be about to see its worst flooding in over a century.

The storm is expected to produce a devasting surge along Florida’s west coast, which could include the Tampa Bay area. Some decrease in strength is forecast ahead of landfall.

The National Hurricane Center says people across Florida should take notice: Milton is still just a tropical storm off Mexico, but it's gaining strength and is expected to intensify rapidly as it move

As the booming region faces the possibility of a direct hit from a major hurricane, the risks from storm surge are severe.