FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — 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.

Hurricane Milton intensified into a Category 4 Hurricane over the Gulf of Mexico early Monday as it barreled toward the Florida Gulf coast, less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene left devastating flooding across parts of the southeastern U.S.

Milton increased to a Category 2 hurricane early Monday as Florida gears up for what could be its biggest evacuation in seven years as the storm heads toward major population centers including Tampa and Orlando.