While Florida is still recovering from Hurricane Helene’s destruction, the state is bracing for another massive storm. Predicted to hit the Tampa Bay area late Wednesday night, Hurricane Milton has quickly strengthened into one of the most threatening and monstrous storms the area has seen in decades.
As of Tuesday morning, here’s what we know about Milton’s projected path and surge.
The current state of Hurricane Milton
Yesterday, Hurricane Milton strengthened into a Category 5 storm with sustained winds up to 180 mph.
The storm has become such a monster that one meteorologist lost his composure on air, becoming emotional while explaining just how devastating he believes it will be.
“This is just horrific,” he said, trying to collect himself while fighting back tears. He then explained that the storm is gaining strength in the Gulf of Mexico, where “the seas are just so incredibly, incredibly hot,” and attributed its severity to global warming.
Earlier this morning, Hurricane Milton weakened to a Category 4 with sustained winds at 145 mph—still extremely powerful and catastrophic. Some models predict Milton will weaken to a strong Category 3 before landfall, though there are doubts about how much weakening will actually occur.
In any case, the National Hurricane Center fully expects Milton to remain an “extremely dangerous hurricane through landfall in Florida.”
Hurricane Milton’s projected landfall and storm surge
Milton is expected to make landfall in Florida sometime Wednesday night. Though it might lose some of its strength by then, its impact will still be unbelievably disastrous, with a predicted 10-15 feet tidal surge in the Tampa Bay area.
“Milton has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida,” said John Cangialosi, a specialist with the National Hurricane Center. He expects the storm to bring damaging winds and heavy rainfall, with storm surges being “life-threatening” to those who refuse to evacuate.
The worst storm to hit Tampa Bay since 1921
Tampa Bay hasn’t been directly hit by a hurricane of this force since 1921 when the 1921 Tampa/Tarpon Springs Hurricane devastated the community with a storm surge of up to 11 feet.
Many meteorologists ascribe Milton’s power to the Gulf of Mexico’s warm waters, which are only fueling the storm. Though it weakened a bit earlier this morning, Hurricane Milton remains a major threat to the Gulf Coast.
Evacuations clogging highways in Florida
Residents in evacuation areas and surrounding locations are attempting to flee to safer grounds, causing congested highways with bumper-to-bumper traffic. Tampa Bay and adjacent areas are the most impacted by mass evacuations.
According to Gov. Ron DeSantis, the state has already helped evacuate over 200 healthcare facilities in the region. DeSantis also urged Florida residents in the hurricane’s path to evacuate before Milton makes landfall on Wednesday.
“There’s no guarantee what the weather’s going to be like starting Wednesday morning,” DeSantis said at a briefing. “You may have a window where it may be safe, but you may not. So use today as your day to finalize and execute the plan that is going to protect you and your family.”
Florida’s Hurricane Milton evacuation map is here.
Jane Castor, mayor of Tampa, warned that while Hurricane Helene was a wake-up call for the community, Milton will be “literally catastrophic.”
“I can say, without any dramatization whatsoever, if you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you’re going to die,” Castor told CNN.
The post Tampa Braces for Hurricane Milton. Experts Say It’s Unlike Anything Since 1921. appeared first on VICE.
The post Tampa Braces for Hurricane Milton. Experts Say It’s Unlike Anything Since 1921. appeared first on VICE.
