Hurricane Milton rapidly intensified to major Category 5 storm on Monday as it churned in the Gulf of Mexico on its path toward Florida.
Milton is expected to make landfall in the Tampa Bay area on Wednesday and remain a hurricane as it crosses the state and exits into the Atlantic Ocean.
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Local and state officials ordered evacuations for some coastal areas and declared a state of emergency as Milton is expected to bring storm surge as high as 12 feet, heavy rain, tornado threats, and strong winds.
According to the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, catastrophic damage is likely to occur during a Category 5 hurricane.
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Weather experts anticipate the storm to weaken slightly to a major Category 3 storm before making landfall.
The chart below shows the sustained winds and potential damage a hurricane can produce for each Category on the scale.
