Hours before barrelling into Florida, Hurricane Milton has been declared a potential threat to Bermuda.

The Bermuda Weather Service reported at noon that the Category 3 storm was expected to approach the island over the weekend; however, the system will have significantly weakened before then.

In a 6pm update, the BWS said the system’s closest point of approach within the next 72 hours was forecast to be about 173 miles to the island’s south-west at 6pm on Saturday.

However, the BWS warned that the system could come closer after that time depending on its track.

The US-based National Hurricane Centre said at 5pm that the storm was expected to make landfall near or just south of the Tampa Bay region this evening.

It said the storm will move across the central part of the Florida peninsula overnight, and emerge off the east coast of Sunshine State on Thursday.

“Maximum sustained winds are near 120mph with higher gusts,” the NHC said.

“Milton is a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.

“Milton could still be a major hurricane when it reaches the coast of west-central Florida this evening, and it will remain a hurricane while it moves across central Florida through Thursday.

“Milton is forecast to weaken over the western Atlantic and become extratropical by Thursday night.”

Earlier, the NHC said it is also monitoring a non-tropical low-pressure system about 375 miles west-southwest of the island for possible development.

“Although environmental conditions are becoming less favourable for development, a short-lived tropical or subtropical storm could still form today or this evening while the low moves northeastward to east-northeastward at around 15mph,” the NHC said.

“Upper-level winds are forecast to become too strong for further development later tonight.”

Forecasters have warned that the 2024 hurricane season would be busier than average, with NHC predicting in August between 17 and 24 named storms, including eight to 13 hurricanes.

Of those storms, it was estimated that between four and seven would become major hurricanes, reaching at least Category 3 strength.

Hurricane Milton is the eighth hurricane and fourth major hurricane of the season, and the second to reach Category 5 strength after Hurricane Beryl in June.

The hurricane season does not end until November 30.