Hurricane Milton Intensifies to Category 5, Says U.S. National Hurricane Center

October 8 :
According to the US National Hurricane Center, Milton has quickly strengthened into a category 5 hurricane as of October 7th The Miami-based meteorologist added that Milton is situated approximately 735 miles (1175 km) southwest of Tampa, Florida, and that the area experiences maximum sustained winds of 160 mph (250 kph).
After Beryl became the first storm of the season to reach Category 5 in July, Milton is the second Atlantic storm of the season to do the same.

Hurricane, storm-surge, and flood warnings were in effect for 6.5 million people on Monday along the Florida coast from Tallahassee to Miami. Parts of multiple counties were placed under evacuation orders by local officials, who also intended to issue further orders later on October 7 and urged citizens to be ready to flee if necessary. "If they have issued an evacuation order, I beg you, I implore you to evacuate," announced Kevin Guthrie, director of Florida's Division of Emergency Management.

Officials in Florida were getting ready to open shelters, and truckloads of food, water, generators, and gasoline were being sent to locations that were predicted to be struck. DeSantis announced that 5,000 National Guard men were prepared and that heavy-duty trucks would be sent out to clear storm debris.

As Milton neared the port of Progreso on October 7 and 8, the storm was predicted by Mexico's weather bureau to bring significant rain to parts of the country's eastern coastline and heavy downpours to the states of Campeche and Yucatán. Classes in Yucatan were canceled by Governor Joaquín Diaz Mena starting at 1 p.m. on Monday because to the intensification of Milton. City officials in Merida emphasized the need for citizens to gather supplies.