Milton erupts into Category 1 hurricane as Southeast reels from Helene aftermath

Tropical Storm Milton rapidly intensified into a Category 1 hurricane Sunday with its path aimed at Florida, less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene made landfall in the state.

The hurricane is expected to make landfall Wednesday afternoon, federal forecasters said.

The storm debuted as a hurricane early Monday after producing sustained winds of 80 mph and continued to strengthen by drawing fuel from the Gulf of Mexico’s sultry waters.

Forecasters said Milton was likely to reach major hurricane status, denoting a Category 3, 4, or 5 storm, within a day or two. It would take a minimum of sustained 111 mph winds to make the storm a Category 3.

The tropical storm’s expansion to hurricane status Sunday meant that watches and warnings on rain, wind and storm surges were in effect for much of the west coast of Florida less than two weeks after Helene rampaged through the Southeast.

Since 1850, only two storms that originated in the Gulf’s Bay of Campeche have struck Florida. If Milton follows its current path, it would be the third.

It’s been 10 days since Helene made landfall Sept. 26 along Florida’s Big Bend coast after sweeping north through the Gulf, causing a dozen deaths in Pinellas County, and damaging or destroying homes and businesses along the Tampa Bay area peninsula.

Twenty-five Helene-related fatalities have been reported statewide, while at least 234 people across six states have died as a result of the storm.