Hurricane Milton has made landfall on Florida’s west coast and poses an “extremely dangerous” threat. Two weeks after deadly Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc across Tampa Bay area.
Warm temperatures helped Milton morph into a Category 5 hurricane on Monday. Fuelled by rising waters that swell up with heat from evaporated waters, with wind pushing this hot air upward. Earth’s natural rotation then makes the storm spiral outward.
Warmer waters boosted Helene, which reached Category 4 status when making landfall in Florida. Climate change has projected to make future hurricanes stronger and more frequent; CoreLogic Hazard HQ Command Central(tm) is tracking Milton closely. With post-landfall proxy events and initial model insured wind and storm surge losses available later in this week.
Hurricane Milton Could Be a Category 3 Hurricane
The National Hurricane Center reports that Hurricane Milton is gathering strength as it approaches Florida’s west coast. According to CBS News meteorologist Nikki Nolan. She predicts it may become a Category 3 storm before making landfall Thursday morning.
Scientists are concerned with the rapid intensification of this storm. From tropical depression to Category 5 status in record time.
What is Hurricane Milton?
Hurricane Milton, with winds reaching 150 mph, has just made landfall. Which scientists describe as an odd event in one of the strangest hurricane seasons ever.
On Saturday morning Tropical Depression Five began its life as a tropical depression. In the Gulf of Mexico and within hours intensified into a Category 5 hurricane.
Category 5 storms have the strongest winds on the Saffir. Simpson hurricane wind scale and have caused catastrophic damages in previous hurricane seasons.
As Milton nears Florida, it could re-strengthen as it enters warm Atlantic waters and builds momentum again . Or it might fizzle out depending on how the Bermuda High plays out – whether or not pushing Milton back towards U.S. coast or staying farther out into Atlantic.
How has Milton progressed?
As hurricane milton barrels towards Florida, it demonstrates the impact of climate change. Feeding on warm waters temperatures, it rapidly intensified from minimal hurricane status to Category 5 status in short order – matching Hurricane Maria from 2017.
Phil Klotzbach from Colorado State University’s hurricane research department recently revealed that this season saw an unprecedented five hurricanes form between Sept 26 and Oct 6, surpassing his previous record of two per season. Milton was one such storm to reach Category 5 status before dissipating.
As this hurricane approaches Florida’s west coast in coming days, its increased intensity likely bring life-threatening storm surges and fierce winds with it, along with heavy rainfall that projected to bring significant flash and river flooding and localized landslides.
How has warm weather affected Milton?
hurricane milton rapidly intensified into a Category 5 hurricane thanks to warm Gulf waters and humid air that fuel tropical cyclones, according to Climate Central. Milton’s rapid intensification was one of the fastest on record for a tropical cyclone.
As it approached Florida, it began to “wobble”, gradually losing intensity and slowing down slightly – something which is normal, yet can lead to long-term weakening of its force.
As Milton moves inland, shear winds will likely increase and further weaken it. These shear forces pull on its symmetric structure, weakening it further – this has a common phenomenon when hurricanes hit land; one reason why Florida’s coastline was subject to an official hurricane watch issued by the National Hurricane Center.
What is the latest on the ground?
After brushing against the northern Yucatan Peninsula, Milton is now moving northward toward Florida’s western coast and could bring flood and wind damage that rivals that caused by Hurricane Helene last year.
The storm remains a Category 5 hurricane, though its winds have begun to weaken somewhat as it approaches Florida. We anticipate more gradual weakening as Hurricane Michael makes landfall there.
One person has killed today in a traffic accident near Milton. Bruce Kinsler, 68 years old and from Bartow working with Polk County Roads and Drainage was the deceased.
CoreLogic Hazard HQ will continue to monitor Hurricane Milton and provide updates as necessary. Be sure to download our Disaster Preparedness Guide for useful tips and resources, while remembering you can help those affected by donating to Convoy of Hope.
Hurricane Milton Threatens Florida’s West Coast
It is barreling its way toward Florida’s west coast and could pose life-threatening winds and storm surge. A change in its path could determine which areas suffer the brunt of its powerful winds and storm surge.
CoreLogic Hazard HQ Command Central will continue monitoring Milton. Initial estimated wind and storm surge losses should become available later this week.
Hurricane Milton timeline Tuesday
As Hurricane Milton moves northeast toward Florida, it could bring life-threatening storm surges and winds as well as damaging rainfall, which could cause flash, urban, areal flooding as well as moderate to major river flooding.
Governor McHenry advised those living in evacuation zones to seek shelter at local or state-run centers. Evacuation traffic jammed roads and highways while gas stations ran dry in some areas.
At its peak strength, this Category 5 hurricane had wind speeds comparable to some of the most devastating Atlantic hurricanes of recent years. Its rapid intensification serves as a stark reminder of climate change-fueled storms which pose risks of their own.
Hurricane Milton spaghetti models
Hurricane Milton may spare the areas ravaged by Helene in Georgia, North and South Carolina; however, Florida’s west coast could face life-threatening storm surge. To stay safe in such circumstances, National Hurricane Center recommends following advice of local officials and evacuation if instructed to do so.
On Monday, a Category 4 storm made landfall between Yucatan Peninsula and Cuba and Florida’s west coast Wednesday evening as an extremely dangerous hurricane with potentially catastrophic storm surge.
The National Hurricane Center has employed spaghetti models and prediction cones to show potential paths of Hurricane Irma; however, not all models are created equal.
Storm tracker: Hurricane Milton
Hurricane Milton has earned itself a Category 5 rating from the National Hurricane Center and could bring life-threatening storm surge and windy conditions to Florida’s west coast by Tuesday or Wednesday evening, according to reports on Saturday from local weather experts.
Milton has seen rapid intensification over the past three days and now boasts an estimated central pressure reading of 897 millibars, which puts it among one of the strongest U.S. hurricanes seen since 1995 according to the Hurricane Center.
Today’s storm is expected to pass over Siesta Key near Sarasota as a Category 3 hurricane and then produce torrential rainfall, damaging winds, high storm surge and the risk of tornadoes in southern and central Florida, potentially triggering tornadoes as it does so. AccuWeather reports it could produce rainfall which leads to serious river flooding as a result.
Hurricane Milton weather alerts
hurricane milton remains an extremely dangerous hurricane with life-threatening storm surge, damaging winds, torrential rainfall, and the possibility of tornadoes threatening Florida’s west coast. Residents should heed any advice from local officials and evacuate should evacuation be recommended by authorities.
Cooler and less humid air is forecast to come streaming behind Milton, which may help lessen some of its impacts. Unfortunately, for millions of residents it could still get worse.
At Alligator Alley portion of Interstate 75 in Southwest Florida on Tuesday morning, long lines of evacuees filled Alligator Alley as they streamed towards safety in large numbers. Over one million people live within the radius of Hurricane Irma’s path; Moreover, thousands were ordered out already by authorities. A mandatory evacuation has been ordered in Collier and Lee Counties along the Gulf Coast region and some parts of central Florida.
Watches warnings and mandatory evacuations
Florida’s west coast is bracing itself for the potential devastation caused by Although Hurricane Milton as its eye approaches. The Category 5 storm is predicted to produce life-threatening hurricane force winds and surge, and is anticipated to produce life-threatening conditions on land and water alike.
The National Weather Service is reminding residents to prepare for and seek shelter during a storm, with Hillsborough County issuing mandatory evacuation orders for Evacuation Zones A and B as well as all mobile homes and manufactured housing in its jurisdiction; nine shelters have also opened up.
The NWS is issuing an advisory warning people to stay away from shorelines and to heed all storm surge and rip current advisories, especially given that storm surge could reach 10 feet or higher and cause “catastrophic” flooding; just two weeks ago Hurricane Helene caused devastating surge and flood damage that still requires recovery efforts in this region.