Millions of Floridians are racing to evacuate as Hurricane Milton, currently a massive Category 5 storm, approaches landfall on the state’s western coast.
President Joe Biden warned that evacuation orders for Floridians were a matter of “life and death”, while the National Hurricane Center warned Milton could be “one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida.”
Governor Ron DeSantis warned Floridians that “time is running out” for them to evacuate.
“You may have a window where it may be safe, but you may not,” he said. “So, use today as your day to finalise and execute the plan that is going to protect you and your family.”
His warning comes after Tampa Mayor Jane Castor told CNN on Monday that residents will die if they don’t evacuate as Milton races towards the state’s west coast.
Hurricane Helene, which recently devastated parts of the state, was a “wake-up call,” she said. Milton could be “literally catastrophic,” Castor added.
Milton has sustained winds 165mph. It is expected to be “a dangerous major hurricane” when it makes landfall on the west coast of Florida on Wednesday night.
Hurricane Milton could spare Tampa from a direct hit, but risks remain
Hurricane Milton, a Category 5 storm with 160 mph winds, is on track to make landfall late on Wednesday or early Thursday near Tampa Bay, according to the National Hurricane Center.
While earlier forecasts had Milton directly hitting the Tampa area, more recent models suggest a slight shift in the storm’s path toward the Sarasota area, potentially sparing Tampa from the worst of the storm.
Despite this shift, Tampa remains at high risk, particularly from storm surges, with forecasts predicting 10 to 15 feet of surge in some parts of the bay, double the levels seen during Hurricane Helene just two weeks ago.
This makes Tampa, a city of 3 million, particularly vulnerable due to its low-lying geography, which is prone to flooding from storm surges.
Meteorologists, however, stress on not focusing on the exact track of hurricanes as projected paths can change and major impacts can occur outside of cone.
But even a slight change in Milton’s path could drastically affect who experiences the worst impacts, so residents are still being urged to evacuate.
While the storm is expected to weaken slightly before landfall, its size will grow, with tropical storm-force winds extending up to 230 miles from the centre. This means that the entire Florida peninsula could feel the effects, even if Tampa avoids a direct hit.
Where is Hurricane Milton now?
Hurricane Milton is now about 405 miles southwest of Tampa, with sustained winds of 160mph.
The storm has weakened very slightly but remains a Category 5 hurricane after an eyewall replacement that restrengthened it.
The storm is moving northeast at 12mph and is expected to make landfall along Florida’s central Gulf Coast by Wednesday night or early Thursday.
While the storm is forecast to weaken slightly before landfall, it will expand greatly in size, spreading its dangerous impacts over a wide area. Tropical storm-force winds will extend 230 miles outward from the centre, potentially covering the entire Florida peninsula.
Last-minute shifts in Milton’s trajectory could critically affect who experiences the brunt of the storm.
Photos: Florida braces for impact as Hurricane Milton closes in
Space station footage shows Milton re-intensifying over the Gulf of Mexico
Climate crisis made Hurricane Helene worse and could do same to Milton
A new report from World Weather Attribution (WWA) shows that Hurricane Helene was significantly more intense due to the climate crisis, with wind speeds 11 per cent higher and rainfall totals about 10 per cent greater.
Researchers warn that Hurricane Milton is likely to behave similarly, as it barrels toward Florida’s coast. Forecasters have said Milton could be Florida’s worst storm on record.
The report found that the current high sea surface temperatures fuelling these storms were made 200 to 500 times more likely by the climate crisis.
“We have all the full body of research now that shows this very clear connection between climate change and hurricane intensity,” Friederike Otto, a climate scientist from Imperial College London, said.
“The biggest danger is not to make the connection to climate change.”
The study highlights how fossil fuel-driven warming has increased the likelihood of hurricanes like Helene, which used to occur every 130 years, but now have a 1 in 53 chance of hitting any given year.
Climate change is a total game-changer for hurricanes like Helene. If humans continue to burn fossil fuels, the US will face even more destructive hurricanes.”
Map: When is Hurricane Milton making landfall in Florida
Hurricane Milton, now back at Category 5, is expected to make landfall between Tampa and Fort Myers on Wednesday night, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
Milton is currently packing ferocious winds of up to 165mph (270kmph). Forecasters warn it could be the worst storm to hit the area in about a century – with a surge of 10-15ft or over, and heavy rainfall of up to 1.5ft.
The storm is currently moving northeast at 12mph towards Florida’s west-central coast, bringing dangerous winds and storm surges up to 15 feet in some areas. Milton’s intensification follows an eyewall replacement cycle, which often leads to strengthening before landfall.
How are hurricanes named? How many categories are there?
Hurricane Milton is approaching Florida’s Gulf Coast as a restrengthened Category 5 hurricane.
The storm now has sustained winds of 165mph and gusts over 200mph, making it one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes on record.
How are hurricanes named?
Hurricanes are named by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) to simplify communication. Names are drawn from pre-determined lists that are reused every six years, alternating between male and female names in alphabetical order. Some letters like Q, U, X, Y, and Z are skipped due to a lack of available names. Names are retired if a hurricane causes significant damage or loss of life, as seen with Katrina or Maria.
When a hurricane season exhausts the 21 names on its list, the WMO now uses a supplemental list of names, replacing the old practice of turning to the Greek alphabet.
How are hurricanes categorised?
Hurricanes are categorised using the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, which is based on sustained wind speeds and has five categories:
Category 1: Wind speeds of 74-95mph – Minimal damage to buildings, some power outages.
Category 2: Wind speeds of 96-110mph – More severe damage to trees, buildings, and power lines.
Category 3: Wind speeds of 111-129mph – Causes extensive damage, with risks of long-term outages of power and water.
Category 4: Wind speeds of 130-156mph – Catastrophic damage to homes, trees, and infrastructure.
Category 5: Wind speeds of 157mph or higher – Complete devastation, with entire buildings destroyed and life-threatening risks.
Given the intensification of hurricanes due to climate crisis, some experts have suggested the need for a Category 6, to account for storms with wind speeds exceeding 192mph.
Read more:
Florida evacuates thousands of prisoners before Milton makes landfall
Florida has evacuated more than 4,600 prisoners before Hurricane Milton, the Category 5 storm that’s expected to bring unprecedented damage to major population centers like Tampa, touches down.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the state had “successfully relocated 4,636 inmates without compromising public safety and additional evacuations are underway,” according to the Florida Department of Corrections.
Josh Marcus has the full story.
Photos: Hurricane Milton causes flooding in Mexico
‘We can replace your home, we can’t replace your life’
The mayor of Bradenton in Florida also joined others in giving a stark warning to residents to evacuate before the window to safely do so closes.
“Get out of these areas because we can replace your home, we can’t replace your life,” mayor Gene Brown said on ABC News.
“And we don’t want to be finding bodies floating in rivers, and we’ve seen that before,” he said.
To those who still decide not to evacuate the town, which is on the path of Hurricane Milton, he said:
Write your name on your arm so we can identify you.”
Source: independent.co.uk