Hurricane Milton is moving toward Florida, where it could be one of the most destructive storms on record, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
The storm this Tuesday (9) strengthened again to a Category 5 hurricane, but is forecast to weaken to Category 3 before making landfall on Florida’s Central Gulf Coast on Wednesday (9).
Authorities are warning Floridians to heed warnings and remain vigilant.
Check out what is known about the storm so far:
Storm strength
Milton became a Category 5 hurricane for the first time on Monday at 12pm and remained at Category 5 strength until 3am on Tuesday. The storm became a Category 5 hurricane again this Tuesday afternoon, according to the latest update from the NHC.
Air Force Reserve hurricane hunters have found that Milton’s pressure is dropping and winds are increasing. On the satellite, the eye of the hurricane brightened significantly — a sign of a very powerful storm.
The storm’s strength is expected to vary over the next 36 hours, and it will weaken slightly but double in size, meaning its impacts will be felt over a much larger area.
Storm threats, location and timing
The storm is 450 miles southwest of Tampa, Florida, with sustained winds of 165 mph and is moving east to northeast at 9 mph, according to the NHC update at 6 p.m. ET.
The storm’s arrival time has decreased slightly in a previous NHC warning and is now expected from very late on Wednesday night (9) to very early on Thursday (10).
When Milton makes landfall, its tropical storm-force winds will extend about 230 miles (370 km) outward from its center. That’s far enough to cover the entire width of the state’s Peninsula.
Forecasters are warning people not to let their guard down and prepare for critical last-second changes in the storm’s path.
Between 2 and 12 inches of rain, high winds and thunderstorms are forecast in areas including Tampa, Sarasota, Fort Myers and Orlando. The outer bands of Hurricane Milton could begin to impact the Florida Peninsula and the Keys with tornadoes and waterspouts incorporated as early as Tuesday night (9).
Withdrawal orders
Military personnel at MacDill U.S. Air Force Base in Tampa are being evacuated ahead of Milton’s arrival.
Some Puerto Ricans living in Florida are returning to the island out of fear of storm damage.
The Florida Department of Corrections said 4,600 prisoners were evacuated before the hurricane hit the region.
Companies prepare for Milton
In Clearwater, Florida, traffic signal boxes are being removed, lift stations are being decommissioned in certain areas, and drinking water is being restricted.
Wind gusts above 160 km/h “may exceed safety limits for tower cranes, posing a risk of malfunction,” the city of St. Petersburg warned on Tuesday. But there is not enough time to dismantle the cranes before the storm.
Disney, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom theme parks will close ahead of the storm. Theme parks like Busch Gardens Tampa and SeaWorld Orlando and Universal Studios are also closing.
American Airlines and United Airlines say they have limited airfares and added additional flights to and from Florida on Tuesday as people try to leave the region before the storm hits.
The Biden government warned this Tuesday against the practice of abusive prices.
Approximately one in six (17.4%) gas stations in Florida have run out of fuel as millions of people rush to get out of the hurricane’s path, according to fuel tracking platform GasBuddy.
Florida Highway Patrol troopers are escorting tanker trucks carrying fuel to gas stations along evacuation routes, the governor said Tuesday.
What the governor is saying
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said residents have a short window to execute their evacuation plans before Milton arrives.
DeSantis also told residents that “this is not just an event about the West Coast of Florida.”
The governor also said response areas are being created across the state in preparation for the storm. The state has been accumulating resources for the various sites since the weekend, management said.
Almost unprecedented rapid intensification
Hurricane Milton has rapidly intensified to a nearly unprecedented level, reaching Category 5 due to record heat in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. It is expected to grow in size, meaning that while it may decline in category, its dangerous impacts will be spread over a much larger area.
The storm is expected to reach the coast of the Gulf of Florida this Wednesday (9), when it should be category 3. Hurricane Milton was considered the strongest storm on the planet in 2024, with sustained winds of 281 km /h.
Recently, Hurricane Helene made landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast as a storm surge and made landfall in the marshlands as a Category 4 hurricane. Authorities are urging residents — still recovering from Helene’s damage — to evacuate or prepare for another life-threatening storm.
This content was originally published in What is known about Hurricane Milton heading to Florida on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
