Milton becomes a “hurricane-force” post-tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of about 75 mph, according to the National Weather Service 2 p.m. advisory.

Tropical storm conditions and storm surges still occur in portions of the southeastern U.S. coast.

According to the Jacksonville NWS, parts of central Jacksonville are under a tropical storm warning, western parts of St. Johns County are under a storm surge warning and all of St. Johns County is under a wind advisory.

Different from the NWS 11 a.m. advisory, the 2 p.m. advisory states that storm surge and tropical storm warnings have now been discontinued south of the Flagler/Volusia County Line. The government of the Bahamas has discontinued the Tropical Storm Warning for the extreme northwestern Bahamas.

The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline, according to the NWS. Storm surge flooding will continue in portions of the east coast of Florida and the southern coast of Georgia through the afternoon.

Tropical storm conditions will continue within the tropical storm warning areas in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina for the next few hours.

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This is a breaking news story. Stay with Spinnaker as we continue to add updates on Milton

According to the NWS’ 11 a.m. update, Hurricane Milton has reached Florida’s east coast and is heading towards the mid-Atlantic.

The storm is expected to continue away from Florida’s east coast and pass north of the northwestern Bahamas today.

Read the NWS key messages here:

1. A Storm Surge Warning remains in effect for portions of the east coast of Florida and southern coast of Georgia. Storm surge inundation will continue in these areas through this afternoon.

2. Tropical storm conditions will continue along portions of the southeast U.S. coast through this afternoon and over the extreme northwestern Bahamas through this evening.

3. In the wake of heavy rainfall from Milton, the risk of considerable urban flooding will lingerthrough this afternoon across east central Florida. Moderate to major river flooding is ongoing andforecast throughout central Florida.

4. Use caution after the storm as deadly hazards remain including downed power lines and flooded areas. Ensure generators are properly ventilated and placed outside at least 20 feet away from doors, windows, and garages to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. If you are cleaning up storm damage, be careful when using chainsaws and power tools, and drink plenty of water to avoid heat exhaustion.

The Hurricane Warning from Sebastian Inlet to the Flagler and Volusia County Line has been changed to a Tropical Storm Warning.

The Tropical Storm Warning has been discontinued south of Sebastian Inlet and for Lake Okeechobee.

The Bahamian government has also discontinued its Tropical Storm Warning for Bimini.

Storm Surge Warnings remain in effect from Sebastian Inlet, Florida, to Altamaha Sound, Georgia, including the St. Johns River area.

Tropical Storm Warnings are also in effect for Sebastian Inlet, Florida, northward to Edisto Beach, South Carolina and the extreme northwestern Bahamas, including Grand Bahama Island and the Abacos.

The Department of Housing and Resident Life has announced a return to normal operations starting this afternoon, per an email sent to students.

According to the email, visitors and guests are again allowed in all on-campus “residential areas, rooms, suites and apartments.”

The pool decks for Osprey Fountains, Osprey Clubhouse and The Flats at UNF are also open. Residents are reminded that pool deck furniture is being stored, and “Housing and Residence Life staff will be moving some of the furniture back into place as time permits.”

In the email, Housing advises students to be aware of any damage as they “navigate the exterior areas of campus.”

Any residents with maintenance issues or problems are encouraged to submit a maintenance request through the maintenance request link.

Altered schedules for Dining Services and the Osprey Connector remain effective for Thursday, Oct. 10, and Friday, Oct. 11.

Dining Services

Housing’s email shared the following schedule for Oct. 10 and 11.

Oct. 10

• Osprey Café: 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Ozzie’s in Osprey Fountains: 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.
• Pita Pit in Osprey Clubhouse: 10 a.m. to midnight
• All other Dining Services locations will be closed

Oct. 11

• Osprey Café: 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Ozzie’s in Osprey Fountains: 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.
• Pita Pit in Osprey Clubhouse: 10 a.m. to midnight
• All other Dining Services locations will be closed

Osprey Connector

Housing’s email shared the following schedule for Oct. 10 and 11.

Oct. 10

From 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., two shuttles will run from The Flats at UNF to Osprey Fountains. They will then stop at Osprey Café and make their final stop at Osprey Crossings. The shuttles will return to The Flats at UNF to repeat the route.

Oct. 11

The Osprey Connector will be inactive due to Fall break. Service will resume Sunday, Oct. 13, at 11 a.m.

After a brief period of power loss, power was restored in The Flats at UNF around 2 a.m.

The power went out around midnight. After alarms from several buildings went off, the University Police Department arrived to investigate, per messages in the residents’ main GroupMe chat.

Spinnaker could not determine what UPD was explicitly tasked with doing at The Flats at UNF. However, the alarms did stop after they left the scene.

Power was also restored in Osprey Fountains around 1:40 a.m.

According to the NWS’ 2 a.m. update, central Florida continues to experience “very heavy rains and damaging winds,” with wind speeds of up to 90 mph and gusts up to 54 mph. Flash flood emergencies from previous updates remain in effect, and there have been no changes to watches or warnings since the last advisory.

According to the NWS update, Hurricane Milton will continue through central Florida at night and early morning and arrive on the east coast around sunrise.

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This is a breaking news story. Stay with Spinnaker as we continue to add updates on Milton.

The NWS has issued its 11 p.m. public service advisory regarding Hurricane Milton.

Storm surge warnings are in effect for the following counties and areas:

• Florida’s west coast from Flamingo northward to Anclote River, including Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay.
• Sebastian Inlet, Florida, to Altamaha Sound, Georgia, including the surrounding St. Johns River area.

Hurricane warnings are in effect for the following counties and areas:

• Florida’s west coast from Bonita Beach northward to Suwannee River, including Tampa Bay.
• Florida’s east coast from the St. Lucie and Martin County Line northward to Ponte Vedra Beach.

Hurricane watches are in effect for the following counties and areas:

• The Lake Okeechobee area
• Florida’s east coast from the St. Lucie and Martin County Line to the Palm Beach and Martin County Line.

Tropical storm warnings are in effect for the following counties and areas:

• The Florida Keys, including Dry Tortugas and Florida Bay.
• Lake Okeechobee
• Florida’s west coast, from Flamingo to the south of Bonita Beach.
• Florida’s west coast from north of Suwanee River to Indian Pass.
• Florida east coast south of the St. Lucie and Martin County Line to Flamingo.
• North of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, to Edisto Beach, South Carolina
• Extreme northwestern Bahamas, including Grand Bahama Island, the Abacos and Bimini

Read the NWS’ key messages here:

1. A large area of life-threatening storm surge is occurring along portions of the west-central coast
of the Florida Peninsula and southwest Florida. Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by damaging waves. Water levels will remain elevated into Thursday morning.

2. Damaging and life-threatening hurricane-force winds, especially in gusts, will spread inland across portions of the central Florida Peninsula
to the Florida east coast within the Hurricane
Warning area overnight and early Thursday. Residents should be prepared to take shelter in an interior room and away from windows.

3. Heavy rainfall across the Florida Peninsula through Thursday continues to bring the risk of catastrophic and life-threatening flash and urban flooding along with moderate to major river flooding, especially in areas where costal and inland flooding combine to increase the overall
flood threat.

According to the update, the storm is still expected to pass through central Florida overnight and exit through the east coast on Thursday afternoon. The storm will weaken as it heads towards the Atlantic.

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This is a breaking news story. Stay with Spinnaker as we continue to add updates on Milton.

A Flash Flood Emergency is in effect for the Tampa Bay area, including the cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater, according to the National Weather Service 10 p.m. update.

Over 1.4 million customers are without power in Florida, according to PowerOutage.us.

Albert Whitted Airport in St. Petersburg has received 16.61 inches of rain so far today.

According to the Jacksonville NWS, Jacksonville remains under a tropical storm warning, and parts of Jacksonville are still under a storm surge warning.

The next NWS update will be the full advisory at 11 p.m.

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This is a breaking news story. Stay with Spinnaker as we continue to add updates on Milton.

The “extremely dangerous” Category 3 Hurricane Milton just made landfall near Siesta Key along the West Coast of Florida, according to an update issued by the National Weather Service at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Milton is expected to make its way across the state of Florida through Wednesday night and Thursday morning, weakening to a tropical storm by 2 p.m. Thursday, according to the NWS.

According to the NWS’ 8 p.m. update, Hurricane Milton is rapidly approaching Florida’s west coast, with landfall expected “within the next hour or two.”

As of the 8 p.m. update, the storm is within 20 miles of Sarasota and 130 miles of Orlando. No changes to watches or warnings have been made since the previous update.

According to the update,  The storm will enter central Florida overnight and exit through the East Coast on Thursday afternoon.

Per the update, the storm is expected to remain a hurricane over Florida and reduce to extratropical status after reaching Florida’s east coast on Thursday afternoon.

Hurricane Milton’s northern eyewall started spreading onshore along the Florida Gulf Coast, according to an update from the National Weather Service issued at 7 p.m.

Milton is about 35 miles west of the Sarasota coast, according to the update.

Tropical storm and storm surge warnings were extended until 1:15 a.m. Thursday morning for Arlington, Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach, Oceanway and Tallyrand, according to the NWS.

There is potential for three to five feet of storm surge along from Sebastion Inlet, Florida to Altamaha Sound, Georgia. Areas along the northern St. Johns River could see two to four feet of storm surge, according to the NWS.

Hurricane Milton has grown in size today and is likely to be near the threshold of a major hurricane when it reaches the West-Central Coast of Florida this evening, according to the National Weather Service 5 p.m. advisory.

Milton is about 60 miles off the West Coast of Florida and it’s moving at about 17 mph with sustained winds of up to about 120 mph, according to NWS. Central and southwestern portions of Florida are expected to experience life-threatening storm surges, damaging winds, and flooding rains.

NWS advises Northeast Florida to 

1. Hunker down and remain sheltered by midday Wednesday
2. Heed the guidance of local officials.
3. Monitor for Flash Flood & Tornado Warnings

Local warnings as of 6 p.m., Wednesday:

These areas are under a flash flood warning until 9:15 p.m.:

• Flagler
• St. Johns

These areas are under extended flash flood warnings until 11:45 p.m.:

• Alachua 
• Marion 
• Putnam

These areas are currently under a storm surge warning:

• Arlington
• Jacksonville
• Jacksonville Beach
• Oceanway
• Tallyrand

These areas are currently under a hurricane warning:

• Coastal waters from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine
• Coastal waters from St. Augustine to Flagler Beach
• Waters from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine
• Waters from St. Augustine to Flagler Beach

These areas are currently under a tropical storm warning: 

• Arlington
• Jacksonville
• Jacksonville Beach
• Oceanway
• Tallyrand

Hurricane Milton is now located about 150 miles off Florida’s West Coast and has maximum sustained winds of up to 130 mph, according to the latest National Weather Service advisory.

Warnings as of 2:40 p.m., Wednesday:

Coastal areas of Arlington, Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach, Oceanway and Tallyrand are still under a storm surge warning. According to the warning, these areas could see three to five feet of inundation.

A flash flood warning is in effect until 4:45 p.m. Wednesday for Southeastern Clay, Northwestern Flagler, North Eastern Putnam and Southern St. Johns counties.

Coastal waters from St. Agustine to Flagler Beaches remain under a hurricane warning.

According to the advisory, Milton is growing in size as it approaches Florida. Read the NWS key messages for Milton below:

NWS key messages: Oct. 9, 11 a.m.:

1. A large area of destructive storm surge, with highest inundations of 10 ft or greater, is expected along a portion of the west-central coast of the Florida Peninsula. If you are in the Storm Surge Warning area, this is an extremely life-threatening situation. The time to evacuate, if told to do so by local officials, is quickly coming to a close.

2. Devastating hurricane-force winds are expected along portions of the west coast of Florida, where a Hurricane Warning is in effect. Milton is forecast to remain a hurricane while it crosses the Florida Peninsula and life-threatening hurricane-force winds, especially in gusts, are expected to spread inland across the peninsula. Preparations to protect life and property, including being ready for long-duration power outages, should be rushed to completion.

3. Heavy rainfall across the Florida Peninsula through Thursday brings the risk of catastrophic and life-threatening flash and urban flooding along with moderate to major river flooding, especially in areas where coastal and inland flooding combine to increase the overall flood threat.

Hurricane Milton, currently a Category 4 hurricane, will likely be a Category 4 or Category 3 storm when it makes landfall, according to the NWS 11 a.m. advisory.

Milton has another 12 hours or so over water, according to the NWS. Milton is 160 miles from Ft. Myers and 190 miles from Tampa, moving northeast at 17 mph.

The NWS says “tornadic supercells” from Milton are beginning to sweep across the southern Florida peninsula. Supercells are a type of storm that is potentially very strong and windy.

“The time to prepare, including evacuate if told to do so, is quickly coming to an end along the Florida West coast,” says the NWS.

Jacksonville is under a tropical storm warning, hurricane watch and flood watch. Western parts of St. Johns County are under a storm surge warning.

The Jacksonville NWS advises residents to “hunker down and remain sheltered by midday today.”

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This is a breaking news story. Stay with Spinnaker as we continue to add updates on Milton.

Hurricane Milton has again become a Category 5 storm, according to the National Weather Service 8 p.m. public advisory.

Milton is about 440 miles from Tampa, traveling east-northeast at 10 mph. Maximum sustained winds are 165 mph, with higher gusts.

Jacksonville’s coast, from Ponte Vedra Beach to St. Mary’s River in Georgia, is still under a hurricane watch. The Jacksonville coast, East of I-95 is under a storm surge warning, according to the Jacksonville NWS. Jacksonville can potentially expect 3-5 feet of storm surge on the coast coasts and the Intracoastal Waterway and 2-4 feet for the St. Johns River Basin to Lake Georgia and Crescent Lake.

The Jacksonville NWS recommends residents be fully prepared for the storm by this evening. The NWS advises residents to follow evacuation orders of local officials, never drive through flood waters and move vulnerable property to higher ground.

In the NWS’ 5 p.m. update, Jacksonville’s coast, from Ponte Vedra Beach to St. Mary’s River in Georgia, is under a hurricane watch.

According to the NWS, a hurricane watch means hurricane conditions “are possible within the watch area.” They are issued 48 hours before the arrival of tropical storm-force winds in the watch area, defined as “conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous.”

No evacuation orders have been issued for Jacksonville. Still, the NWS has advised residents who have been given orders to evacuate that they “should evacuate today if ordered by local officials. There will likely not be enough time to wait to leave on Wednesday.”

The NWS also recommends that all “preparations to protect life and property, including being ready for long-duration power outages, should be complete by tonight.”

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This is a breaking news story. Stay with Spinnaker as we continue to add updates on Milton.

In an email sent to students, UNF’s Department of Housing and Residence Life informed students of changes to Dining Services, the Osprey Connector schedules and Housing operations during Hurricane Milton.

Dining Services

According to the email, Dining Services’ “normal operations” will continue today, Oct. 8. The schedule has been adjusted for Wednesday, Oct. 9, through Friday, Oct. 11.

Oct. 9

• Osprey Café: 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Ozzie’s in Osprey Fountains: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Pita Pit in Osprey Clubhouse: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• All other Dining Services venues will be closed.

Oct. 10

• Osprey Café: 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Ozzie’s in Osprey Fountains: 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.
• Pita Pit in Osprey Clubhouse: 10 a.m. to midnight
• All other Dining Services venues will be closed.

Oct. 11

• Osprey Café: 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Ozzie’s in Osprey Fountains: 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.
• Pita Pit in Osprey Clubhouse: 10 a.m. to midnight
• All other Dining Services venues will be closed.

Osprey Connector

The Osprey connector’s “normal operations and hours” will continue for Tuesday, Oct. 8, per the email. The service will run an adjusted route from Wednesday, Oct. 9, to Friday, Oct. 11.

Oct. 9

• According to the email, from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., two shuttles will run a modified route, beginning at The Flats at UNF. They will then stop at Osprey Fountains, head to the Osprey Café and finish their route at Osprey Crossings. The shuttles will then return to The Flats at UNF to repeat the route.

Oct. 10

• Two shuttles will run the same modified route from 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Oct. 11

• Per the email, the Osprey Connector will be closed for Fall Break. Normal operations will resume Sunday, Oct. 13, at 11 a.m.

The university will notify users through the TransLoc app if service is suspended due to weather conditions.

Housing

According to the email, students who “feel they have a secure place to stay off campus and can travel there safely” are encouraged to do so.

Welcome Desks for on-campus housing will remain open for the following hours:

• Osprey Fountains: 24/7, 904-620-5000
• Osprey Clubhouse: 8 a.m. to midnight, 904-620-4999
• The Flats at UNF: 8 a.m. to midnight, 904-620-3528

According to the email, on-campus residents “should anticipate possible utility outages” due to the storm. Starting at 8 a.m. on Oct. 9, and “until further notice,” visitors and guests will not be allowed in any on-campus residential areas. Pool decks for Osprey Fountains, Osprey Clubhouse and The Flats at UNF will also be closed.

In the email, Housing encourages all Osprey Village and The Flats at UNF residents to clear porches and balconies of all items “immediately as they pose a safety concern.”

Any on-campus residents with maintenance issues or concerns can submit a maintenance request using Housing’s Maintenance Request Form.

The University of North Florida’s offices will be closed through Friday, Oct. 11, according to its most recent campus alert.

All activities and events are canceled through Friday. The university plans to resume normal operations on Saturday, Oct. 12, according to the alert.

On Monday, UNF announced in-person and online classes would be canceled on Wednesday and that there are no classes on Thursday, Oct. 10 and Friday, Oct. 11 due to the fall instructional break.

Officials issued a mandatory evacuation for parts of St. Johns County Tuesday afternoon. UNF’s decision “was made with consideration for the welfare of our campus community” and after the recent evacuation orders, according to the alert.

The alert confirmed that on-campus housing will remain open, but students are encouraged to travel to a secure, off-campus location if they can do so safely. Dining Services will continue to operate on a normal schedule at this time and residents will be notified by UNF Housing and Residence Life for updates and specifics. For now, the shuttle service is still operating on its normal schedule, but when conditions worsen residential students will be notified of a modified schedule.

According to the alert, employees required to work before or after the storm will be contacted by their supervisors for scheduling.

Students planning to stay on campus through the storm can access UNF’s storm preparedness information at unf.edu/emergency/hurricane/. For more hurricane preparation resources, visit jaxready.com.

Milton remains a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds increasing to 155 mph. While fluctuations in intensity are expected, Milton is forecast to remain an extremely dangerous hurricane through landfall in Florida, according to the National Weather Service 2 p.m. public advisory.

Throughout Hurricane Milton, Jacksonville is at risk for 58-73 mph winds, storm surges of 3 feet or more above ground level, and major flooding rain. Jacksonville is currently not at risk for tornadoes, according to the NWS Risk Assessment.

The Florida Highway Patrol says “heavy traffic patterns are flowing northbound and eastbound on all roadways” Tuesday afternoon as people continue to evacuate in advance of Hurricane Milton.

“For those wishing to evacuate, the time is now,” the FHP said in a statement. “Otherwise, finalize your storm preparations now.”

According to the NWS, Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunters found that Milton’s intensity has rebounded. Milton is moving northeast at about 8 mph.

The NWS says there will be heavy rainfall across the Florida peninsula through Thursday, which brings the risk of “life-threatening” flash and urban floods.

According to the Jacksonville NHS, there are dangerous beach and marine conditions this week. By Wednesday evening, Jacksonville will begin to feel tropical storm-force winds.

Jacksonville stays under a Hurricane and Flood Watch, Storm Surge Warning, and Tropical Storm Warning, according to the NWS alert sent out Tuesday morning. Milton is expected to make landfall as a major hurricane and remain a hurricane as it crosses Florida.

Hurricane Milton is forecasted to “expand in size” as the storm approaches Florida’s west coast, according to the 11:00 a.m. National Hurricane Center advisory. Per the update, today is the last day for Florida residents to prepare and evacuate ahead of the storm’s projected early Thursday landfall.

Hurricane Milton remains a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph and is now just over 500 miles away from Tampa, according to the NHC’s latest advisory.

Jacksonville remains under a Hurricane and Flood Watch, Storm Surge Warning, and Tropical Storm Warning, according to the NWS alert sent out Tuesday morning. Milton is expected to make landfall as a major hurricane and stay a hurricane as it crosses Central Florida.

According to the NHC, Three to five feet of Storm Surge is expected along Florida’s First Coast. The St Johns River is predicted to receive two to four feet of surge. Deteriorating conditions are expected as early as tonight, according to the Jacksonville NWS.

Areas of Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach, Oceanway and Tallyrand are under Storm Surge and Tropical Storm warnings, as of National Weather Service alerts sent out on Tuesday at 8 a.m. According to the alerts, these warnings will remain in effect until 4 p.m. Tuesday. Jacksonville and much of the Florida East Coast are under Hurricane and Flood watches until late Tuesday afternoon.

Hurricane Milton weakened to a Category Four hurricane overnight with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph, according to the latest NWS advisory. According to the NWS key messages, Milton is still expected to continue strengthening and is forecast to make landfall on Florida’s West Coast as a major hurricane early Thursday morning.

Milton, still a Category 5 hurricane, poses an “extremely serious threat” to Florida, according to the National Weather Service 8 p.m. advisory.

The NWS urges residents to follow the orders of their local officials.

Locally, the Jacksonville NWS says there are potential local impacts including dangerous beach and marine conditions this week, damaging winds Wednesday through Thursday and storm surge for the Atlantic coast and St. Johns River mid-week. Flooding rainfall risk increases for Northeast Florida and coastal Southeast Georgia mid-week.

Jacksonville’s coast could get three to five feet of storm surge, and the St. John’s River could get two to four feet of storm surge, according to the NWS Peak Storm Surge Forecast.

Hurricane Milton is moving around 10mph toward the east. Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicates that the maximum sustained winds remain near 180 mph with higher gusts, according to the NWS.

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This is a breaking news story. Stay with Spinnaker as we continue to add updates on Milton.

In an email sent to students, staff and faculty, the University of North Florida has announced that all classes, including online courses, will be canceled on Oct. 9 in anticipation of Hurricane Milton.

According to the email, on-campus housing will remain open, but UNF encourages students who “have a secure place to stay off campus and can travel there safely” to do so.

Per the email, neither Dining Services nor the Osprey Connector shuttle system have announced alternate schedules or services. If conditions during the storm worsen, the university will “make necessary adjustments” and ensure that on-campus residents have sufficient food and shelter. The Department of Housing and Residence Life will update on-campus residents regarding campus operations.

UNF’s Crisis Management Team will continue to assess Hurricane Milton’s potential impacts and communicate updates through “multiple channels.” Supervisors will contact employees working during or after the storm regarding scheduling, according to the email.

The email provided additional resources for hurricane safety, including information on Storm Preparedness and resources from the City of Jacksonville. A link for faculty to address the lost instructional time was also provided in the email.

Classes were not canceled on Oct. 10 or 11, as UNF will be closed during the Fall Break.

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This is a breaking news story. Stay with Spinnaker as we continue to add updates on Milton.

According to the 5 p.m. update from the NWS, Hurricane Milton has recorded wind speeds up to 180 mph and is less than 700 miles from Tampa, Florida.

Per the update, the storm will be “extremely dangerous” when it reaches Florida’s west coast at 1 p.m. on Wednesday. The NWS advises that “Preparations to protect life and property in the warning areas should be complete by Tuesday night” due to the storm’s arrival early Wednesday morning.

According to the NWS, the peak storm surge along Jacksonville’s coast is expected to reach up to six feet, and the St. Johns River is projected to rise an additional two to four feet in water level. Jacksonville’s coast continues to be under a hurricane watch, and most of Florida’s west coast, including the Tampa area, remains under a hurricane warning.

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This is a breaking news story. Stay with Spinnaker as we continue to add updates on Milton.

Milton continues to strengthen as the Category 5 Hurricane now has maximum sustained winds of 175 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center’s 2:00 p.m. public advisory.

The NHC urges residents in Florida to “follow the advice of local officials.”

Jacksonville remains under a Flood Watch and is now under a Severe Weather Advisory, according to the National Weather Service. According to the Jacksonville NWS, Conditions are expected to “deteriorate” Tuesday night through Thursday. 

According to the Jacksonville NWS, Milton is expected to bring damaging winds, flooding, and storm surge to NE Florida. Damaging winds could bring power outages, tree damage, and structure damage, according to the local NWS.  

Potential coastal impacts include “dangerous” marine and beach conditions. Minor tide flooding is expected for the St. Johns river basin. 

Hurricane Milton is moving 9 mph east, according to the NHC 2 p.m. advisory.

Milton “rapidly intensifies” into a Category 5 hurricane, according to the National Weather Service 11:55 a.m. update.

As of 11:15 a.m., Jacksonville is under a flood watch and coastal flood advisory.

According to the NWS, flooding rainfall and storm surge are expected for Northeast Florida.

Potential local impacts include dangerous beach and marine conditions and strengthening onshore winds starting late Tuesday through Thursday. These local impacts could bring power outages, tree damage and structure damage, according to the Jacksonville NWS.

Minor tidal flooding within the St. Johns River basin rising to moderate midweek is forecast. There is potential for storm surge on the local coast Wednesday into Thursday. Flooding rainfall risk increases for Northeast Florida and coastal Southeast Georgia mid-week.

Hurricane Milton is moving about 9 mph toward the east-southeast, according to the NWS 11 a.m. Public Advisory.

Spinnaker’s ongoing coverage of Hurricane Milton can be found here.