The last time the eye of a major storm like Hurricane Milton directly struck Tampa Bay was 1921 when the city was a sleepy backwater.

Less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene flooded Tampa Bay with record storm surge, Milton is poised to up the ante. The most recent forecasts predict up to 10 to 15 feet of flooding above ground in parts of the region – up from an earlier prediction 8 to 12 feet,

The news around Hurricane Milton only grew more dire Monday. State of play: What began as a low-grade storm in the morning strengthened to a Category 5 monster by lunchtime, boasting sustained winds of 180mph.