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.

Milton’s center could come ashore Wednesday in the Tampa area, and it could remain a hurricane as it moves across central Florida toward the Atlantic Ocean.

Hurricane Milton isn’t expected to directly affect the tri-state area, but with so much of Florida’s heavily populated cities, including Tampa and Orlando, in its path, many residents locally have expressed concern for families and friends in the south.