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Governor Ron DeSantis has issued a state of emergency for Lee County and 50 other counties ahead of Tropical Storm Milton, which is forecast to become a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico Monday morning.

The National Hurricane Center has issued flood warnings for Lee County from Sunday morning to Thursday. Peak tropical storm force winds are expected to reach Fort Myers Beach Tuesday with the possibility of a major hurricane depending on how the storm shifts in the next 48 hours.

In a statement announcing the state of emergency, DeSantis warned of life-threatening storm surge for the Gulf Coast.

The National Weather Service is predicting Milton could turn into a Category 2 or 3 hurricane.

Tropical Storm Milton is currently in the southwest Gulf of Mexico and is forecast by the National Hurricane Center to gradually move off to the northeast while steadily intensifying. Areas of locally heavy rain are expected to arrive though across the Florida Peninsula and Keys well ahead of the intensifying storm.

“The track is a bit uncertain as to where it will make landfall,” National Weather Service meteorologist Christianne Pearce said.

“Everything along the coast will see impacts. You will definitely see storm surge,” Pearce said.

The hurricane is expected to make landfall late Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning.

The exact estimate of how much storm surge has not yet been determined by the National Hurricane Center, Pearce said. An estimated four to six inches of rain is expected through Thursday.

Depending on which way the storm lands, Lee County could see tropical storm winds between 40 to 70 miles per hour or Category 2 hurricane winds of up to 110 miles per hour. More information is expected from the National Weather Service in the next 24 hours.

The Lee County Board of County Commissioners were set to meet at noon to discuss the storm.

“We are well within the forecast cone and even if the storm shifts north or south we will have big impacts along our coastline,” Ben Abes said.

County offices will be open Monday at 8 a.m. and will be closed at noon. They will be closed through Thursday. No evacuation orders are in place but expects to issue evacuation orders Monday but no later than Tuesday.

The county expects to open some emergency shelters Monday.

Abes said sandbags are available through local fire departments.

Abes said residents should stop putting out debris from Hurricane Helene.

The Fort Myers Beach Council will be holding an emergency meeting at 4 p.m. to declare a state of emergency. The town has been operating under continuing resolutions declaring a state of emergency since Hurricane Ian.

The town will be offering sandbags at town hall on Oak Street beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Monday.

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Lee County is bracing for any impact from Tropical Storm Milton. The forecast is calling for Milton to strengthen into a major hurricane with landfall somewhere along Florida's west coast, although it is too early to tell if that will mean SW FL or elsewhere. The expectations are significant storm surge in coastal areas, wind, rain and along with it flooding and power outages in the region.

This is continues to be developing story and our reporters and photographers are providing coverage from different locations in Lee County again today, contributing the latest updates on flooding, damage, power outages, and what you need to know.

Helpful links

Go HERE for Lee County weather watches, warnings and advisories.

Go HERE for latest forecast from AccuWeather.

POWER OUTAGES: LCEC power map is HERE.

POWER OUTAGES: FPL's tracker is HERE.

POWER OUTAGES: HERE for United States power outage tracker

AIRPORT: RSW's flight tracker for delays, cancellations

What's happening around Lee County today with storm prep, messaging

Tropical Storm Milton: What to know

More:Tropical Storm Milton prep: Gas, water, groceries, sand. There's a run on supplies in SW FL

Photos from Hurricane Helene

As rain-heavy Tropical Storm Milton trudges east through the Gulf of Mexico, forecasters predict it will become a hurricane tonight, one that's heading right for Florida's west coast.

Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency Saturday that includes Lee, Collier Hendry and Charlotte counties. Lee and Collier counties are under a flood watch through Thursday morning.

Lee County officials meet at noon on the storm, and Fort Myers Beach is expected to declare a local state of emergency later today.

In a 5 a.m. bulletin Sunday, the National Hurricane Center said the storm "is forecast to move across the Gulf of Mexico and approach the west coast of the Florida Peninsula by midweek." What that means for Southwest Florida, which is still recovering from Hurricane Helene, remains to be seen.

It called for heavy rainfall over portions of Florida today and Monday "well ahead of Milton," with heavy rainfall more directly related to the system expected later on Tuesday through Wednesday night.

In recent days, residents have been filling sandbags, buying gas and provisioning for another storm, this one predicted to be very wet.

Before it was Milton, it was a rainmakerWet weather coming to SW FL, but how much and how bad will it get?

"This rainfall brings the risk of flash, urban, and areal flooding, along with minor to moderate river flooding. Swells generated by the system will begin to affect the coast of the southwestern Gulf of Mexico today," it said.

Heavy rain is expected on Sunday and Monday, well ahead of Milton, according to the agency, followed by "Even more rain related to the system is expected as the week begins, bringing the potential for flooding."

MIAMI — South Florida is already feeling the effect of Tropical Storm Milton as areas in southern Miami-Dade and Monroe counties report flooding. Milton is expected to gather force and make landfall along the west coast in the Tampa area, as a Category 3 or higher hurricane on Wednesday.

The flood threat across South Florida increased Sunday as an area of non-tropical low pressure began to approach from the west. This spread heavy, widespread rain into the area by the afternoon and into Sunday evening and Monday.

A level 3 (out of 4) risk for flash flooding is in place for the eastern part of Miami-Dade and Broward counties today, with flood watches in effect through Thursday.

This first system will be a precursor to the main event: Milton.

As this first system departs, expect a slight lull in the activity Tuesday, then for the main impacts of Milton to arrive Wednesday in South Florida.

Most models agree, the center of Milton will remain to the north of South Florida. But the farther south it ends up tracking, the more impacts for South Florida communities. Shifts in the track from north to south will remain a possibility over the next day or so.

For now, the main risk will be rainwater flooding, 4-to-8 inches of rain will be possible on average. The wind threat will depend on how far south Milton ends up tracking.

For now, most models show the range of 40-to-50 mph gusts across the area. While storm surge currently does not look to be a big issue across the east coast, the Keys may see some coastal flooding. Overall, it is too soon to know the exact impacts we will see locally, and is something that will be fine-tuned as Milton gets closer.

Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency Saturday in 35 counties ahead of Milton's landfall. In the state of emergency bulletin, DeSantis included Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.

The National Hurricane Center said in its 11 p.m. Saturday advisory that the "risk of life-threatening impacts [are] increasing for portions of the Florida west coast."

Expect a flood watch to be in effect through Thursday. And remember: If you see standing water on the roadways, turn around because it only takes 1 foot of water to float most vehicles.

NEXT Weather Radar

KC Sherman

KC Sherman joined CBS News Miami as a weekend morning meteorologist in April 2023 but she is no stranger to the Sunshine State. Prior to joining the CBS News Miami team, she worked at WINK-TV, the CBS affiliate in Fort Myers.

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Milton is forecast to strengthen and bring life-threatening impacts to portions of the west coast of Florida next week.

Milton is expected to strengthen to a hurricane on Monday morning and then make landfall along the Florida Peninsula on Wednesday.

Less than 10 days after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida, the state is bracing for another potentially devastating blow from a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico.

Tropical Storm Milton formed in the western Gulf on Saturday morning just hours after it became a tropical depression, the National Hurricane Center said in a special alert. The 13th named storm, which uses the letter M, is running ahead of pace - it doesn't usually occur until October 25.

Milton is forecast to strengthen and bring life-threatening impacts to portions of the west coast of Florida next week.

The storm is expected to "quickly intensify while it moves eastward to northeastward across the Gulf of Mexico and be at or near major hurricane strength when it reaches the west coast of the Florida Peninsula mid week," the hurricane center said. As of Saturday afternoon, it is expected to make landfall in Florida as at least a Category 2 hurricane.

Hurricane watches, as well as storm surge watches, will likely be issued for portions of the Florida coast on Sunday - a dangerous storm surge is expected for some areas that were just affected by Helene.

"Regardless of development, locally heavy rains could occur over portions of Mexico during the next day or two, and over much of Florida late this weekend through the middle of next week," the NHC said.

The storm threat comes after Helene made landfall September 26 on Florida's Big Bend as a Category 4 and created a 500-mile path of destruction with catastrophic flooding, damaging winds and power outages. Local authorities have reported more than 200 deaths across six states and fear that number could rise.

Helene was one of the largest storms the Gulf of Mexico has seen in the last century.

The latest storm forecast at this point calls for widespread totals of 4 to 6 inches of rain across almost the full length of the state, from Gainesville down through Key West, with isolated higher amounts up to 10 inches possible through Thursday. Tampa has already already seen more than 20 inches of rainfall above normal for the year. Cities like Melbourne, Jacksonville, Naples and Fort Myers all have more than a foot of surplus rainfall so far this year as well.

There is also an increasing risk of storm surge for the western Florida Peninsula as early as late Tuesday or Wednesday. Damaging winds, tornadoes and waterspouts will also be possible next week.

The hurricane center is warning people in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, the Florida Peninsula, the Florida Keys, as well as the Bahamas to closely monitor this system this weekend and early next week for any impacts.

RELATED: Hurricane Kirk strengthens into Category 4 storm in Atlantic, expected to bring swells to East coast

Meanwhile, Hurricane Kirk remained a Category 4 major hurricane, and waves from the system were affecting the the Leeward Islands, Bermuda, and the Greater Antilles, forecasters said. The storm's swells were expected to spread to the East Coast of the United States, the Atlantic Coast of Canada and the Bahamas on Saturday night and Sunday.

Forecasters warned the waves could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

Kirk was expected to weaken starting Saturday, the center said.

Though there were no coastal warnings or watches in effect for Kirk, the center said those in the Azores, where swells could hit Monday, should monitor the storm's progress.

Kirk was about 975 miles (1,570 kilometers) east-northeast of the northern Leeward Islands with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (209 kph).

(The-CNN-Wire & 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.)

The Associated Press contibuted to this report.