Tropical storm Milton is strengthening over the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to become a hurricane and slam into the west coast of Florida.

A storm system that was brewing in the Gulf of Mexico strengthened into Tropical Storm Milton on Saturday and forecasters warned it could intensify into a hurricane and slam into the west coast of Florida later this week.

Hurricane Milton has maximum sustained winds of 80 mph and is moving towards the east at 6 mph. Milton is 815 miles to the west of Tampa, Florida, in the western Gulf of Mexico, and is expected to continue toward the east strengthening into a Category 2 hurricane, with winds of 100 mph by Monday morning.