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,

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