Tropical Storm Milton was gaining speed and growing more powerful Sunday as it rolled through the Gulf of Mexico on a track that imperils areas of the Florida Peninsula still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Helene.

Across Central Florida residents are preparing for Hurricane Milton’s forecasted powerful wind and rain as it takes aim at Florida’s Gulf Coast with landfall set for midweek. The storm intensified into a Category 1 Hurricane with winds of 80 mph on Sunday afternoon but is expected to continue growing into what officials call a “life-threatening” Category 3 Hurricane.

People across Florida were given notice Sunday that Hurricane Milton is expected to intensify rapidly before slamming midweek into the storm-ravaged Gulf Coast.