The powerful and dangerous storm, which re-strengthened to a Category 5 hurricane yesterday, is expected to make landfall late tonight, according to a National Hurricane Center forecast. An NBC News forecast predicts landfall slightly later, sometime between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. tomorrow, somewhere near Sarasota.

Hurricane Milton regained Category 5 strength Tuesday as it barreled across the Gulf of Mexico toward the Florida Peninsula, where millions scrambled to wrap up storm preparations and evacuate vulnerable areas.

Hurricane Milton is weakening slightly but remains a ferocious storm that could land a once-in-a-century direct hit on Tampa and St. Petersburg, engulfing the populous region with towering storm surges and turning debris from Helene’s devastation 12