**Hurricane Milton Intensifies to Category 5, Prompting Evacuations in Florida**

Hurricane Milton has dramatically surged to a Category 5 hurricane, reported the National Hurricane Center on Monday. By 2 pm ET, the hurricane's wind speeds had escalated to a staggering 175 miles per hour.

This rapid intensification is particularly noteworthy because the storm’s wind speeds jumped by 85 miles per hour from morning to afternoon, an occurrence that is considered rare. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provided an infrared satellite image displaying Hurricane Milton at its peak intensity on Monday afternoon.

As a precautionary measure, evacuations are currently in progress across the Tampa Bay area and various parts of the Florida Gulf Coast. Authorities are bracing for the powerful Category 5 storm, which is anticipated to make landfall by midweek.

The situation is especially alarming for Tampa Bay, where the storm is predicted to hit from the west-southwest. Such a trajectory would result in an unprecedented storm surge of 8 to 12 feet, posing significant threats to the Bay and surrounding areas.