Hurricane Milton remains a ferocious storm that could land a once-in-a-century direct hit on Tampa and St. Petersburg, engulfing the populous region with towering storm surges and turning debris from

For the latest updates on Hurricane Milton's path and projected landfall, read USA TODAY's live hurricane coverage for Wednesday, Oct. 9. TAMPA, Fla. − Hurricane Milton regained Category 5 strength Tuesday as it barreled across the Gulf of Mexico toward the Florida Peninsula,