MIAMI — With Hurricane Milton strengthening into a massive hurricane expected to hit Florida’s Gulf Coast later this week, South Florida already is feeling the effects of the weather with heavy rains and a flood watch issued Monday morning for the entire region, from Flamingo in Monroe County to northern Palm Beach County.

The flood watch will remain in effect until Thursday morning, the National Weather Service said in its Monday morning forecast. The worst flooding is expected to occur between late Tuesday and early Wednesday morning.

South Florida is at moderate risk for heavy rainfall from Wednesday afternoon into Thursday morning. Storm surge is expected to affect coastal Collier County, home to Naples and other cities.

“One of the real important things we emphasize is that most likely there is street flooding and pumping of water on the roadways,” said Anthony Reynes, senior meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Miami. “Drivers must exercise extreme caution and don’t cross flooded streets because you don’t know what’s in there. Most people that die in flooding die within vehicles.”

As of 11 a.m. Monday, Hurricane Milton, fueled by the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, had accelerated into a major Category 4 storm with sustained winds of 155 mph, on the cusp of a Category 5 storm. The forecast calls for the storm to subside to a Category 3 with 125 mph winds ahead of landfall later this week.

Much of Florida’s Gulf Coast was under a hurricane or tropical storm watch Monday.

For South Florida, a low preceding Milton is expected to bring heavy rain and flash flooding starting on Monday and continuing through Thursday.

All of South Florida can expect heavy wind from Tuesday evening into early Thursday

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