Follow path of storm toward Florida

Hurricane Milton was expected to grow larger on Tuesday as it threatened Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula on its way to Florida, where more than a million people were ordered to evacuate from its path.

Is Hurricane Milton Category 5?

Milton intensified rapidly from a Category 2 to a Category 5 storm on Monday, with winds reaching 180 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. By Tuesday, Milton is expected to weaken gradually while growing larger, the center said.

When will Hurricane Milton hit Florida?

Milton is expected to continue moving east and northeast on Tuesday and Wednesday, passing near or just north of the Yucatan Peninsula before crossing the eastern Gulf of Mexico and approaching Florida’s west coast by Wednesday.

What to know about Hurricane Milton

While fluctuations in intensity are expected, Milton is forecast to remain an extremely dangerous hurricane through landfall in Florida, according to the hurricane center. That means catastrophic damage will occur, including power outages expected to last days.

Fed by warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico, Milton became the third-fastest intensifying storm on record in the Atlantic Ocean, the Hurricane Center said, as it surged from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane in less than 24 hours. Its path from west to east was also unusual, as Gulf hurricanes typically form in the Caribbean Sea and make landfall after traveling west and turning north.

“It is exceedingly rare for a hurricane to form in the western Gulf, track eastward, and make landfall on the western coast of Florida,” said Jonathan Lin, an atmospheric scientist at Cornell University. “This has big implications since the track of the storm plays a role in determining where the storm surge will be the largest.”

How is Hurricane Milton impacting flights?

Airlines and airports in the storm’s path are preparing for potential disruptions. Airlines like American, Delta, Southwest, and United have begun issuing waivers, allowing travelers to or from select Florida airports to change their tickets for free, starting Monday, even for basic economy fares. Travelers can check their airline’s website for specific advisories.

• Tampa International Airport will suspend operations starting at 9 a.m. on Tuesday.

• Both Tampa and Orlando airports have stated they will reopen as soon as it is safe.

• St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport will close after the last flight on Tuesday evening and stay closed through at least Thursday.

• Orlando International Airport will wind down operations on Wednesday morning.

New York flights being affected by Hurricane Milton: Check flight status

Travelers should stay updated with their airlines and take advantage of flexible change policies if they can postpone their trip. If a flight is canceled, customers are entitled to a refund under Department of Transportation rules.

Here are links to the day’s arrivals and departures at some New York airports:

Buffalo – Buffalo Niagara International Airport

Rochester – Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport

Syracuse – Syracuse Hancock International Airport

Albany – Albany International Airport

JFK – John F Kennedy International Airport

LaGuardia – LaGuardia Airport

Hurricane Milton path map

Where Hurricane Milton is going to hit: spaghetti models

Illustrations include an array of forecast tools and models, and not all are created equal. The hurricane center uses only the top four or five highest performing models to help make its forecasts.

Contributing: Reuters, USA Today Network

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Hurricane Milton tracker: Follow path of storm toward Florida