Hurricane Milton strengthened as it made its way through the Gulf of Mexico and toward Florida on Wednesday, bringing huge storm surge, torrential rain, and damaging winds just two weeks after deadly Hurricane Helen battered the coastline. It could hit one of the state’s major population centers.
Travelers check in at Philadelphia International Airport on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024, as flights to Tampa, Florida, are canceled due to Hurricane Milton. Florida travel alert: Flights grounded, theme parks closed, airports closed due to Hurricane Milton (Photo by Alejandro A. Alvarez/The Philadelphia Inquirer, via AP)
Milton, which returned to Category 5 status Tuesday afternoon, threatens the Tampa Bay region, which is home to more than 3.3 million people and has managed to avoid being hit by major hurricanes for more than 100 years. Milton also threatens other areas of Florida’s west coast that were damaged when Helen made landfall on September 26th.
Traffic was heavy Wednesday as people evacuated the Tampa area before Milton. While they evacuated, crews along the shore rushed to remove debris from Helen to prevent Milton from turning her into a dangerous projectile.
Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center warned that Milton is “expected to become a major, dangerous hurricane” once it reaches the Florida coast.
When will Milton land and how strong will he be?
Milton is expected to make landfall on the Florida Gulf Coast late Wednesday or early Thursday.
“We must prepare for significant and significant impacts to Florida’s West Coast,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday.
As of Wednesday morning, the storm was about 300 miles (485 kilometers) southwest of Tampa with sustained winds of 160 miles per hour (260 kilometers per hour).
“Moving northeastward with a slight increase in forward speed is expected,” the hurricane center said in a statement Wednesday night.
President Joe Biden, who postponed a trip abroad to stay in the White House to monitor Milton, warned that Florida could be in the midst of “one of the worst storms in 100 years.”
The storm is expected to remain fairly strong as it passes through Florida, and a hurricane warning was extended to parts of the state’s east coast early Tuesday.
Why do scientists say it’s strange storm season?
Milton is just the latest star system for Storm Season, and scientists say it’s the strangest star system they’ve ever seen.
Forecasters had predicted a busy Atlantic hurricane season ahead of time, which began when Beryl became the earliest Category 5 hurricane on record. But Phil Klotzbach, a Colorado State University hurricane researcher, said the period from August 20 to September 23, when hurricane season traditionally begins, was the quietest on record.
Since then, five hurricanes have formed between September 26 and October 6, more than double the previous record of two. On Sunday and Monday, three hurricanes formed simultaneously in October, an event that has never happened before, Klotzbach said. Hurricane Milton grew from a tropical storm with winds of 40 mph to a top-class Category 5 hurricane in just 46 and a half hours.
With hurricanes disrupting the lives of millions of people in the United States, some may wonder if it is possible to control extreme weather events. But scientists argue that hurricanes are too strong for that and that climate change is making storms like Helen and Milton more likely than ever.
How much damage can be expected?
Florida’s Gulf Coast is particularly susceptible to storm surges.
Helen made landfall about 150 miles (240 kilometers) north of Tampa in the Florida Panhandle, but the storm surge, which was about 5 to 8 feet (1.5 to 2.5 meters) above normal tide levels, could cause drownings in the Tampa area. It was successful.
Forecasters joined Milton in warning that storm surge of 10 to 15 feet (3 to 4.5 meters) could occur in Tampa Bay. This is the largest tsunami ever predicted for that location, and evacuation orders have been issued for entire coastal communities.
The county, home to Tampa, ordered areas bordering the bay and all mobile and manufactured homes to evacuate by Tuesday night. With storm surge predicted to engulf single-story homes, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor issued an increasingly dire warning Tuesday for people planning to ride out the storm. . ”
Milton is expected to dump up to 18 inches (46 centimeters) of rain as it crosses central Florida and heads toward the Atlantic Ocean, the hurricane center said.
What if I’m planning a trip to Florida?
Tampa International Airport suspended aircraft operations Tuesday morning and posted on X that the airport is not a refuge for people or vehicles. It also announced that nearby St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport is in a mandatory evacuation zone and was closed after the last flight departed on Tuesday. It announced that all flights were canceled on Wednesday and Thursday.
Orlando’s tourism machine, located about 84 miles (135 kilometers) inland from Tampa, began grinding to a halt Tuesday. Orlando International Airport, the seventh-busiest airport in the U.S. and the busiest in Florida, announced it would cease operations Wednesday morning. And with at least three major theme parks scheduled to close – Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld – the latter two remaining closed Thursday, Disney is likely to follow suit.
Is it difficult to get gas?
For some Floridians, searching for gas is exacerbating stress.
Gas stations in some parts of Florida struggled to meet demand Tuesday, with long lines and empty pumps. DeSantis said state officials are continuing to work with fuel companies to get gasoline ahead of the storm.
DeSantis said there was no shortage of fuel, but finding gas was a nerve-wracking task for people preparing for a major hurricane. GasBuddy analyst Patrick de Haan said about 17.4% of Florida stations were out of fuel as of Tuesday night, although “refills are being made.” More than 46% of Tampa Street stations in the St. Petersburg area were without gas as of Tuesday evening, according to GasBuddy.
“You just have to have patience,” Tampa resident Stephanie Gloverbrock said Tuesday as she waited in line to buy gas in the nearby Riverview neighborhood.
Ned Bowman, a spokesman for the Florida Petroleum Dealers Association, said the situation is typical of hurricanes in Florida, with demand peaking and some oil stations temporarily dry. He said suppliers were transporting fuel to the station “constantly.”
How was Mexico affected?
As the Milton headed toward Florida, authorities in Mexico’s Yucatan state reported only minor damage from the storm. Power lines, poles and trees were downed near the coast, and some small thatched structures were also destroyed, Yucatan Governor Joaquín Díaz said. He did not report any deaths or injuries.
