The rapid intensification of 70 mph during a 13-hour period over the steamy Gulf of Mexico puts Milton into the upper echelon of later-season tropical cyclones, approaching the Category 5 muscle of October 2018's Hurricane Michael and October 2005's Hurricane Wilma.

Hurricane Milton, already a monster Category 5 storm, continued to strengthen on Monday and now packs sustained winds of 175 mph as it remains on course to make landfall on Florida's west coast by Wednesday.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Milton rapidly strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane Monday on a path toward Florida population centers including Tampa and Orlando, threatening a dangerous storm surge in Tampa Bay and setting the stage for potential mass evacuations less than two weeks after a catastrophic Hurricane Helene swamped the coastline.