Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has issued a state of emergency in 35 counties as Tropical Storm Milton prepares to hit the Sunshine State.

The storm is intensifying over the Gulf of Mexico and is projected to become a hurricane by early Monday.

“This system could become a major hurricane near or at landfall along the West Florida Coast by the middle of next week,” said DeSantis’ executive order.

The emergency declaration applies to the following counties: Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, DeSoto, Flagler, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechohee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter, and Volusia.

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Residents along Florida’s western peninsula should prepare for an increased risk of life-threatening storm surge and wind impacts as soon as late Tuesday or early Wednesday. Heavy rainfall is expected ahead of the storm.

Still reeling from Helene

Tropical Storm Milton is approaching a little over a week after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm on Sept. 26, leaving behind a path of destruction as it moved up the East Coast.

When declaring the state of emergency for Milton, DeSantis said recovery efforts are still continuing in the wake of Helene.

“As many continue to recover from Hurricane Helene, I have directed [the Florida Division of Emergency Management] and [thr Florida Department of Transportation] to coordinate all available personnel and resources to supplement local communities as they expedite debris removal in impacted areas,” DeSantis wrote on X. “We will continue staging state assets to prepare for efficient search and rescue, power restoration, and roadway clearing.”

Helene wreaked havoc on several states, including the hard-hit Carolinas. The storm left at least 227 dead across six states as of Saturday. That number could increase further as recovery efforts continue.

RELATED STORY | Death toll from Hurricane Helene rises to 227 as recovery efforts continue