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The National Hurricane Center said "tornadic supercells" from Hurricane Milton have fired up across South Florida on Wednesday morning.
The National Weather Service said a "dangerous tornado" touched down near the Miccosukee Service Plaza off Interstate 75 (Alligator Alley) near the Broward-Collier County line at approximately 10 a.m.
Moments later, WPTV was live as a tornado ripped across I-75, a few miles west of U.S. 27 in north-central Broward County.
"There it is. Wow!" WPTV First Alert Weather meteorologist Jennifer Correa said live on air. "This is an impressive image."
WATCH: Tornado touches down live on WPTV
A tornado watch has been issued for Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, and Okeechobee counties until 9 p.m. Wednesday as a major Category 4 Hurricane Milton churns toward Florida, where it's expected to make landfall along the west coast overnight Thursday.
In addition, St. Lucie, Indian River, and Okeechobee counties are under a hurricane warning, Martin County is under a hurricane watch and tropical storm warning, while Palm Beach County remains under a tropical storm warning.
TRACKING THE TROPICS: Hurricane Center | Hurricane Guide
According to the 11 a.m. advisory from the NHC, a "catastrophic" Milton has further weakened with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph. It's picked up speed and is now moving east-northeast at 17 mph.
It's now forecast to make landfall on the Gulf coast of Florida overnight Thursday as a Category 3 storm, the NHC said.
"Hurricane conditions can be expected in Okeechobee, Indian River, and St. Lucie counties, and perhaps even Martin County in the next 36 to 48 hours," WPTV First Alert Weather chief meteorologist Steve Weagle said. "It looks like the strongest winds will develop on Thursday morning."
Landfall is forecast to occur at approximately 2 a.m. Thursday just south of Tampa Bay near Sarasota. It will take about eight to 10 hours for Milton to cross the state, Weagle said.
The hurricane could produce estimates of 10 to 15 feet of storm surge in Tampa Bay.
The NHC said Milton is forecast to move across the eastern Gulf of Mexico and approach the west-central coast of Florida through Wednesday.
"Going into the overnight hours into Thursday morning, we're gonna be dealing here, too, with those major impacts," Correa said.
Correa added that Milton will eventually exit into the Atlantic Ocean by Thursday afternoon.
Weagle advises residents to put up their hurricane shutters when a hurricane watch is issued.
As of 11 a.m. Wednesday, Palm Beach County is no longer under a flood watch. However, a flood watch is in effect for St. Lucie, Martin, Indian River, and Okeechobee counties through Thursday morning due to rainfall totals between 5 to 10 inches in our area throughout the storm.
Correa said the biggest tornado threat for us will be between 7 p.m. Wednesday and midnight Thursday when Milton's outer feeder bands work in.
"The wind field, when it comes to the tropical storm force winds, will arrive around 8 o'clock. Okeechobee, western portions of Palm Beach County, and Lake O," Correa said. "And then from there on, it will continue to spread. Up to or close to hurricane force winds will arrive into Okeechobee, Indian River, and St. Lucie County a little later. Roughly around 11:30 p.m., midnight. Going into the overnight hours, we'll still be dealing with tropical storm force winds."
Peak winds will likely be on Thursday morning and into the early afternoon when Milton is closest to our viewing area, Weagle said.
"It's gonna be very windy on Thursday," Weagle said. "Not a lot of rainfall with current projections."
WPTV First Alert Weather meteorologist James Wieland said heavy rain and thunderstorms from Milton will pick up on Wednesday morning and really ramp up in the afternoon.
"Any one of these could be spawning tornadoes," Wieland said. "Any of those downpours could easily cause flooding because we're already so saturated out there."
The Storm Prediction Center has placed most of Palm Beach County a "slight risk" of severe weather on Wednesday — the second lowest tier — while the northern edge of Palm Beach County and our Treasure Coast counties are under an "enhanced risk."
"The farther north you go, the stronger the winds are going to be," WPTV First Alert Weather meteorologist Frances Peyton said. "We're going to expect to see some winds gusts up to 75 miles per hour, especially near the peak of this near Wednesday night into Thursday."
Peyton added that drier air will eventually move into South Florida starting on Friday.
Milton is expected to remain a Category 3 or 2 hurricane as it crosses Florida, eventually weakening once it enters the Atlantic Ocean.
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