Hurricane Milton
Milton regained Category 5 strength on Tuesday evening, just a day after becoming one of the strongest hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic basin. The storm maintained its powerful status through Wednesday morning and is still forecast to be a major hurricane as it approaches Florida’s west coast. Landfall is expected late Wednesday or early Thursday morning.
TAMPA, Fla. — Millions in Florida are preparing for a potentially devastating impact from major Hurricane Milton, which is expected to bring a historically severe and dangerous storm surge to a large portion of Florida’s west coast, accompanied by wind gusts exceeding 100 mph over the next 36 hours.
Milton regained Category 5 strength on Tuesday evening, a day after becoming one of the strongest hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic basin. The massive storm held onto its strength through Wednesday, and forecasters expect it to remain a major hurricane as it approaches Florida’s west coast, with landfall likely occurring late Wednesday evening or early Thursday morning.
“Milton has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida,” the NHC stated on Wednesday morning. Hurricane Hunters have been investigating Milton as it intensified over the Gulf of Mexico.
Since Monday, state officials have been urgently working to evacuate millions from vulnerable coastal areas in what is being called Florida’s largest mass evacuation since Hurricane Irma in 2017. Storm surge forecasts for the central western coast predict 10 to 15 feet of water, topped with devastating waves driven by hurricane-force winds. These levels — significantly higher than those caused by Hurricane Helene just last month — would be the highest seen in the Tampa Bay area in over a century.
“Yes, you might have ‘been through hurricanes before,’” said FOX Weather Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross. “But you weren’t around for the 1921 storm that flooded much of Pinellas County or the 1848 hurricane that brought 15 feet of Gulf water into what is now downtown Tampa.”
In preparation, the Florida National Guard has mobilized 5,000 troops, with an additional 3,000 expected to join before the storm’s landfall. To facilitate evacuations, the Florida Department of Transportation has opened the shoulders on Interstate 4 and Interstate 75 for northbound traffic and suspended tolls.
“Before Hurricane Ian struck Southwest Florida, some people became confused, made poor decisions, and tragically lost their lives,” Norcross warned. “Don’t let that happen to you.” As Bradenton Beach prepares for the impact of Hurricane Milton, the scars from Hurricane Helene are still evident. FOX Weather Correspondent Robert Ray reports on the lingering destruction along Bradenton Beach caused by Helene’s storm surge, as forecasts predict even higher surges with Hurricane Milton.
Over the weekend, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a State of Emergency for 51 of the state’s 67 counties, and on Monday, President Joe Biden approved the state’s request for a pre-landfall emergency declaration.
Shelters have begun to open, and the state has teamed up with Uber to offer residents free rides to and from these shelters for those seeking refuge from Milton’s impending impact. To the north, Atlanta Motor Speedway has announced that it will open its campgrounds free of charge to Florida residents who are evacuating.
On Tuesday, the first evacuations were ordered on Florida’s east coast in St. John’s County, including St. Augustine Beach. The county is expected to experience a storm surge from the backside of Milton as the hurricane moves across the state.
Devastating Winds to Tear Across the Heart of the State
In addition to the life-threatening storm surge, Milton is expected to produce wind speeds exceeding 100 mph near the eyewall where the hurricane makes landfall. This includes the Tampa area, which could experience wind gusts of 95 mph or more at landfall. Even after making landfall, damaging winds are anticipated to sweep across the central Florida Peninsula.
Milton is forecast to maintain hurricane strength as it moves along the Atlantic coast, with Hurricane Warnings in effect for 11 million people, including the Orlando area and the east coast from the St. Lucie/Martin County line northward to Ponte Vedra Beach.
Storm surge is expected to impact the Atlantic coast of Florida, stretching from the Space Coast to the First Coast, including cities like Daytona Beach, St. Augustine, and Jacksonville Beach.
Rainfall totals along Milton’s path are forecasted to reach 8 to 12 inches, with some isolated areas potentially receiving up to 18 inches. Additionally, Milton poses a risk of scattered tornadoes, even ahead of landfall.
Schools, Airports, and Theme Parks Close
As Floridians prepare to weather the storm, widespread closures of businesses, schools, and travel hubs are taking place.
Tampa International Airport (TPA) suspended operations on Tuesday morning, while Orlando International Airport (MCO), Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) in Sanford, Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in Fort Myers, and Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB) in Melbourne will cease commercial flights starting Wednesday.
Schools and universities throughout much of the state have canceled classes at least through Thursday. Theme parks, including Disney Parks, Universal Studios, and SeaWorld, have also announced closures in anticipation of Milton.
Additionally, the Kennedy Space Center’s visitor complex will be closed through Thursday.
Along central Florida’s western beaches, remnants of Hurricane Helene still linger, having struck the region less than two weeks ago as a Category 3 storm, bringing feet of storm surge and hurricane-force winds on its path to the Big Bend area.
Piles of debris line the sidewalks, serving as reminders of the initial hurricane’s devastation. With triple-digit winds and an even higher storm surge on the way, this debris now poses a risk of becoming airborne missiles or powerful floating hazards.
On Tuesday, an army of dump trucks and bulldozers moved into neighborhoods to clear as much debris as possible, but the task is overwhelming.
“Literally hundreds of blocks have been decimated,” reported FOX Weather Storm Specialist Mike Seidel from Madeira Beach in Pinellas County, Florida. “They’ve managed to clean about one block in the last 45 minutes to an hour. There are blocks and blocks of this, and we’re running out of time before the weather deteriorates later (Wednesday), especially by Wednesday night.”
Seidel estimated that the city would require an additional two weeks to clear all the mountains of debris. “But we don’t have that. We don’t have that luxury,” he said. “It’s just back-to-back here, from Helene into Milton in Pinellas County.”
The situation is similar at Bradenton Beach in Manatee County, where the streets are littered with debris and damage from Helene and are now nearly deserted as the threat from Milton looms.
“This is not our first catastrophe. We have responded to many disasters in the past,” Mike Eddins from the Florida State Emergency Response Team told FOX Weather’s Robert Ray. “So this is something we’re accustomed to, but it always takes an emotional toll, especially in a community like this.”
He noted that his team has been assisting residents in recovering from Helene for a week.
“To see these people finally get back on their feet, only to be faced with another challenge in the next few days, takes an emotional toll not only on the community at large but also on my team,” Eddins said.
