**Tornado Watch in Effect Amid Hurricane Milton’s Approach**

South Florida braces for severe weather as a tornado watch remains in effect until 9 p.m. Wednesday. Multiple counties, including Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, and Okeechobee, are on high alert due to the imminent threat from Hurricane Milton, which is expected to make landfall on Florida’s west coast overnight Thursday.

As of this afternoon, numerous confirmed tornadoes have been reported across the region. At 2:12 p.m., a large and extremely dangerous tornado was spotted nine miles north of Okeechobee, moving north at 35 mph. Shortly after, at 2:17 p.m., another tornado was confirmed in Port St. Lucie, moving north at 25 mph.

The situation continued to intensify as more twisters were confirmed throughout the day. At 2:45 p.m., a tornado was located near Fort Pierce South, moving northwest at 30 mph. Just a minute later, another large tornado was confirmed seven miles northeast of Fort Drum in Okeechobee County.

Throughout the afternoon and into the early evening, tornadoes were documented across several areas. At 4:27 p.m., a tornado was identified over Vero Beach Highland, moving north at 15 mph, and at 4:47 p.m., a large and extremely dangerous tornado was reported near Wellington, moving north at 40 mph.

The National Weather Service has noted that these tornadic supercells, stemming from Hurricane Milton, have fired up across South Florida, leading to tornados touching down at multiple locations including Jensen Beach, Vero Beach Highland, and Saint Lucie Airport.

Meteorologist Jennifer Correa from WPTV emphasized the longevity of this severe weather event, predicting that it will extend into Thursday morning. According to Correa, the strongest winds, particularly in Indian River and Okeechobee counties, are expected between 4 a.m. and 7 a.m. Thursday. These conditions are likely to moderate later in the morning as the hurricane's center moves away.

Residents are also warned about the threat of flash flooding, especially in northern parts of Okeechobee and Indian River counties. The already precarious situation is exacerbated by debris from Hurricane Helene two weeks prior, which poses lethal risks when agitated by strong winds.

Authorities have issued mandatory evacuations along Florida’s west coast, primarily due to storm surge risks. Winds are expected to escalate significantly starting Wednesday afternoon, with gusts ranging between 30 and 75 mph, depending on the area.

Despite the immediate threat, the weather is expected to improve gradually, with drier air expected to settle into South Florida starting Friday. Residents are urged to remain vigilant and adhere to safety guidelines as the severe weather unfolds.