The NOAA/NHC 5-day outlook strengthens Milton to a hurricane tonight with due east movement continuing to early Tuesday followed by intensification to a category-3 major hurricane while turning east-northeast Tuesday afternoon. Milton maintains that track and makes landfall as a category-3 major hurricane in the Tampa, FL area late Wednesday afternoon.

Expansive drought is observed across the U.S. entering October. In early October, 42% of the U.S. is in a drought condition. The aerial coverage has increased significantly in one month (30% in early September). Since early July, U.S. drought has more than doubled aerial coverage.