Milton is aimed at a denser part of Florida, the Tampa Bay region, with more homes and businesses. Even utility customers in South Florida, which isn’t in the hurricane path, could be left in the dark if tropical storm-strength winds bring down power lines.

Milton strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane on Sunday afternoon with landfall forecast Wednesday as a major hurricane from Tampa to Fort Myers.

Hurricane Milton began its turn toward Florida on Tuesday rebounding back to Category 5 strength with a forecast landfall on the Gulf Coast south of Tampa Bay still as a major hurricane and the threat of 15-foot storm surge,