Milton forecast and storm tracker: Category 3 hurricane takes aim at Florida

Hurricane Milton strengthened rapidly early Monday, with wind speeds climbing to 100 mph, making it a Category 2 hurricane, the National Hurricane Center said.

A hurricane watch was issued for the area around Tampa Bay, along Florida’s western coast.

The storm, which is in the Gulf of Mexico, is forecast to become a major hurricane on Monday, meaning its winds are expected to reach or exceed 111 mph.

Landfall is expected on Wednesday night, with the storm expected to be a Category 3 storm with winds of about 125 mph.

-ABC News’ Max Golembo

Hurricane Milton, which strengthened on Sunday into a Category 1 storm, is forecast to make landfall as a “major” hurricane on Florida’s west coast this week, the National Hurricane Center said.

“While it is too soon to specify the exact magnitude and location of the greatest impacts, there is an increasing risk of life-threatening storm surge and damaging winds for portions of the west coast of the Florida Peninsula beginning early Wednesday,” the center said in a late Sunday advisory.