After dropping down to a Category 4 storm early yesterday, Hurricane Milton re-intensified to Category 5 later in the day.
The forecast path of the storm drifted south yesterday, with a projected landfall early tomorrow morning before 6 am near Sarasota, but meteorologists cautioned that the path could still shift before landfall.
The evacuation routes of I-4 and I-75 had bumper-to-bumper traffic all day yesterday, and many of the evacuees were finding gas stations out of fuel along the route.
While the potential storm surge and winds are getting most of the attention, torrential rains are expected to lead to severe flooding. Orlando is facing an “EXTREME flooding rain threat” according to the National Weather Service, with up to 15 inches of rain possible in some areas including Orlando, Kissimmee, Sanford, and Daytona Beach.