In an advisory on Sunday morning, National Hurricane Center (NHC) meteorologists said Milton may turn into a "major hurricane" as it travels across the central and eastern Gulf of Mexico toward the west coast of Florida, a state recently ravaged by Hurricane Helene, where it's expected to make landfall by midweek.

For the latest news on Hurricane Milton, visit USA TODAY's hurricane tracker for Sunday, Oct. 6. Tropical Storm Milton formed in the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday as forecasters expect the storm to quickly strengthen into a major hurricane over the next few days.

Tropical Storm Milton is expected to be near major hurricane strength as it reaches Florida this week. Track the storm and see spaghetti models.

People across Florida were given notice Sunday that Milton, for now just a tropical storm off the coast of Mexico, could intensify rapidly into a major hurricane before slamming midweek into the storm-ravaged Gulf Coast.

Tropical Storm Milton is likely to become a major hurricane in three days as it aims for Florida's already storm-battered west coast, federal forecasters said Saturday.

Milton is likely to become a major hurricane before hitting Florida on Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center.