Hurricane Milton rapidly grew stronger on Monday, reaching the most powerful level, Category 5.
It’s on a path toward Florida, posing a serious threat to Tampa, a city with a large population. This storm could hit the same coastline that was recently struck by Hurricane Helene, less than two weeks ago.
The center of Milton may reach the Tampa Bay area by Wednesday. This area has not seen a major hurricane strike directly for over 100 years. Experts predict that the storm might weaken a little before hitting land, but it will likely still be powerful as it moves through central Florida and heads toward the Atlantic Ocean.
This path means other states affected by Helene, which left at least 230 people dead from Florida to the Appalachian Mountains, might avoid further damage.
“This is the real deal here with Milton,” Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said at a news conference. “If you want to take on Mother Nature, she wins 100% of the time.”
Evacuation orders announced for Florida
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis emphasized on Monday the urgent need to clear debris left behind by Hurricane Helene before Hurricane Milton arrives. He warned that any loose debris could become dangerous flying objects during the storm.
As evacuation orders were announced, weather experts predicted a possible storm surge of eight to 12 feet in the Tampa Bay area.
At 10:28 a.m. EDT October 7, the space station flew over Hurricane Milton and external cameras captured views of the category 5 storm, packing winds of 175 miles an hour, moving across the Gulf of Mexico toward the west coast of Florida. pic.twitter.com/MTtdUosiEc
— International Space Station (@Space_Station) October 7, 2024
They also warned of heavy rainfall, expecting five to 10 inches across mainland Florida and the Keys, with some areas potentially seeing up to 15 inches. The Tampa metropolitan area, which is home to more than 3.2 million people, is at risk of significant flooding.
“It’s a huge population. It’s very exposed, very inexperienced, and that’s a losing proposition,” MIT meteorology professor Kerry Emanuel said. “I always thought Tampa would be the city to worry about most.”
Milton gained strength over the eastern Gulf of Mexico
Florida’s west coast is getting ready for Hurricane Milton, with much of the area under storm surge and hurricane watches. Lake Okeechobee, which can easily flood during major storms, is also on alert. In addition, parts of Mexico’s Yucatan state received a hurricane warning as the storm could graze the area.
Milton, a compact storm, gained strength quickly over the eastern Gulf of Mexico on Monday. The National Hurricane Center recorded maximum sustained winds reaching 175 mph (282 kph). By midday, the storm’s center was about 700 miles (1,126 kilometers) southwest of Tampa and moving east-southeast at a speed of 9 mph (15 kph).
Tampa Bay is still trying to recover after Hurricane Helene. The storm hit hard, leaving 12 people dead. The most severe damage happened along the barrier islands stretching from St. Petersburg to Clearwater.
On Sunday, as part of the cleanup, over 300 trucks worked to clear the debris left by Helene. But when they tried to dump the waste at a landfill, they found the gates locked. Governor DeSantis said state troopers had to use a pickup truck and a rope to break open the gate so the cleanup could continue.
