JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – All eyes in Florida are now closely monitoring Tropical Storm Milton. Milton is expected to become a category 2 storm as it approaches Florida early next week.
Tropical Storm Milton: Located near latitude 22.3 North, longitude 95.3 West, Milton is moving toward the north-northeast near 3 mph (6 km/h). A slow northeastward or east-northeastward motion is expected during the next day or so. A faster east-northeastward to northeastward motion is forecast by Monday and Tuesday. On the forecast track, Milton is forecast to remain over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico through Sunday night, then move across the south-central Gulf of Mexico on Monday and Tuesday, and approach the west coast of the Florida Peninsula by midweek. Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph (55 km/h) with higher gusts. Rapid strengthening is forecast during the next few days. The system could become a major hurricane while it moves across the central and eastern Gulf of Mexico. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1006 mb (29.74 inches).
Hurricane Kirk: The category 4 storm was located near latitude 26.2 North, longitude 50.2 West. Kirk is moving toward the north-northwest near 13 mph. A turn toward the north at a faster forward speed is anticipated over the weekend. Maximum sustained winds are near 125 mph with higher gusts. Small intensity fluctuations are possible today and tonight. Weakening is forecast to begin on Saturday and continue through early next week. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles (95 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 220 miles (350 km). The estimated minimum central pressure is 945 mb (27.91 inches).
Hurricane Leslie: The center of Hurricane Leslie was located near latitude 10.7 North, longitude 34.8 West. Leslie is moving toward the west-northwest near 7 mph (11 km/h), and this general motion is expected to continue today. A northwestward motion with an increase in forward speed is forecast to begin by tonight and continue through Tuesday. Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 80 mph (130 km/h) with higher gusts. Some additional strengthening is possible through tonight. A gradual weakening trend is forecast to begin on Sunday. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 10 miles (20 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles(110 km). The estimated minimum central pressure is 985 mb (29.09 inches).
Eastern Tropical Atlantic: A tropical wave is expected to move off the west coast of Africa on Monday or Tuesday. Some development of this system is possible thereafter while it moves westward or west-northwestward across the eastern tropical Atlantic. The system is expected to move near or over the Cabo Verde Islands on Wednesday and Thursday, and interests there should monitor its progress. * Formation chance through 48 hours...low...near 0 percent. * Formation chance through 7 days...low...30 percent.