As Hurricane Milton approaches Florida, Baltimore Gas and Electric is preparing crews to head south to pitch in with the response.

BGE sent 42 employees toward Florida Wednesday morning to help repair expected damage, the company said in an email. The utility sent more than 40 employees to Georgia for 13 days in the wake of Hurricane Helene, as well.

Florida officials are urging residents of the state to complete preparations, including evacuations, by Wednesday morning. Wind speeds will begin to increase along the west coast of Florida by Wednesday afternoon, the National Hurricane Center said this morning.

The hurricane is expected to bring a devastating storm surge, with some inundations reaching 10 feet or higher, according to the NHC.

The storm has maintained “its strength as a catastrophic category 5 hurricane,” according to a forecast discussion from the National Hurricane Center Wednesday morning. And though some conditions may cause the hurricane to weaken, forecasters have “high confidence that Milton will remain a very dangerous hurricane when it reaches Florida, and maintain hurricane status as it moves across the state.”

Hurricane Milton is forecast to make landfall some time overnight Wednesday or very early Thursday morning, forecasters said. Dangerous conditions will begin along the coast before the storm makes landfall, though.

Hurricane Milton brushed by the northern coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, and authorities in region reported only minor storm damage. Power lines, light poles and trees were knocked down near the coast, and some small thatched-roof structures were destroyed, according to Yucatan Gov. Joaquín Díaz. He did not report any deaths or injuries.

The storm is “nearing the mathematical limit” of what the Earth’s atmosphere can produce over the ocean, one meteorologist said Monday night.

John Morales, a veteran meteorologist in south Florida, became emotional on air earlier this week from the “horrific” forecast and how quickly Hurricane Milton was gaining strength.

The Orioles’ spring training complex in Sarasota, Florida, which underwent a $31.2 million renovation during 2010-2011, is projected to be near the center of the storm. In the offseason, the complex hosts instructional camps and is home to player development staff members and other personnel.

The complex is not in an evacuation zone, but the team said the facility would be closed beginning Monday.

“We are thinking about our neighbors and first responders during this challenging time for our community,” the Orioles said in a statement.

Will Hurricane Milton head toward Maryland?

The forecast path of the storm does not take it farther north into the United States, though storm conditions may be noticeable in nearby states.

Hurricane Milton, which is already leading parts of Florida to declare states of emergency, comes on the heels of Hurricane Helene, which devastated western North Carolina and other parts of Appalachia. Gov. Wes Moore deployed the Maryland National Guard to North Carolina to help with rescue and other efforts.

Current forecasts show Maryland going entirely unscathed by the conditions expected in Florida this week. There is no rain in the forecast for Baltimore from today through Saturday.

Tuesday afternoon is currently projected to see a high of 72 degrees. The forecast high for the next few days is 79 degrees on Saturday. The lowest high temperature in Baltimore this week is forecast to be 67 degrees, on Thursday. The lowest low is forecast to be 46 degrees Thursday night.

There is a chance of showers in Baltimore on Sunday night, according to the National Weather Service.

This week’s forecast is closely aligned with the daily normals for Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, according to data from the National Weather Service.

The Associated Press and Baltimore Banner reporter Danielle Allentuck contributed to this article.