Tropical Storm Milton is expected to hit the west coast of Florida as a major hurricane in the middle of the week

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) – Suncoast residents are advised to have their hurricane plan ready. Tropical Storm Milton has formed in the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to strengthen into a Category Three hurricane before making landfall on the west coast of Florida. The National Hurricane Center's latest cone hit central Tampa Bay on Wednesday. However, it is important to understand that the cone represents an estimate of the center of the storm. The northern end of the cone extends into Hernando County and the southern end is near the Naples areas. Although this is an estimate of the location of the eyewall, it is important to remember that severe weather events can be felt significantly further from the center of the cone.

Milton is a shallow tropical storm with a speed of just three miles per hour. Sustained wind speeds of 40 miles per hour from the north-northeast were recorded. Models and the storm's track have a greater chance of changing or deviating from their last forecast direction if it is a slow-moving storm.

Meanwhile, a system not associated with Milton will bring copious rain to the Sunny Coast Sunday into Tuesday. The entire Suncoast area is under a flood watch and between five and twenty inches of rain could fall between Sunday and Thursday morning. That number could rise depending on where Milton ends up.

Milton could bring life-threatening storm surge and devastating hurricane-force winds to Florida.

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