Hurricane Milton has once again become a category 5 storm as it heads towards the west coast of Florida. The fierce storm could deliver a direct hit, something that happens once every century, on Tampa and St. Petersburg, engulfing the populous region with imposing storm surges and turning the debris from Helene’s devastation 12 days ago into projectiles.
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In the 5:00 PM bulletin, the CNH said that the hurricane was about 320 miles west-southwest of Dry Tortugas with maximum sustained winds of 165 mph. It was moving from east to east-northeast at 9 mph.
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Experts have stated that a large area of destructive storm surge is expected, with flooding peaking at 10 feet or more, along a portion of the West Central Coast of the Florida peninsula.
“If you are in the storm surge warning area, this is an extremely life-threatening situation and you should evacuate today if so ordered by local officials. There is likely not enough time to wait to leave on Wednesday."
The NHC stated that devastating hurricane-force winds are expected along parts of west Florida's coast, where a hurricane warning is currently in effect.
It is predicted that Milton will remain a hurricane as it crosses the Florida Peninsula, and it is expected that potentially deadly hurricane-force winds, especially in gusts, will extend inland across the peninsula.
Preparations to protect life and property, including preparation for long-term power outages, should be completed by tonight, the experts said.
"The heavy rains that will occur in the Florida Peninsula until Thursday will bring the risk of sudden and catastrophic urban flooding, potentially lethal, along with moderate to significant river flooding, especially in areas where coastal and inland flooding combine to increase the overall flood threat."
Milton's vortex could arrive on Wednesday night in Tampa Bay, which has a population of over 3.3 million people. The county where Tampa is located ordered the evacuation of the areas adjacent to the bay and all mobile and prefab homes by Tuesday night.
"You don't have to get on the (interstate) highway and go very far," said Governor Ron DeSantis at a press conference on Tuesday morning, assuring residents that there would be enough gasoline for the journey. "You can get dozens of miles away; it doesn't have to be hundreds. There are options."
DeSantis said that the state has helped evacuate more than 200 medical care centers that are in the path of Milton and that there are 36 shelters managed by the county. The state has also strived to clear debris from the recent Hurricane Helene, so they do not become projectiles when Milton hits. The governor indicated that the state has deployed more than 300 dump trucks that are working round the clock and have removed 1,200 loads of debris.
The lifeguards of the peninsula that forms Tampa Bay removed beach chairs and other items that could fly with the strong winds.
The National Hurricane Center downgraded Milton to a Category 4 hurricane in the early hours of Tuesday, but meteorologists said it still represented "an extremely serious threat to Florida". Milton intensified rapidly on Monday, becoming a Category 5 storm by midday with maximum sustained winds of 180 mph before weakening slightly.
Meanwhile, in Mexico, authorities in the state of Yucatan reported only minor damage from Milton, which remained near the coast on Tuesday morning. Power lines and poles, and trees were knocked down near the coast, and some small thatched-roof structures were destroyed, according to the governor of Yucatan, Joaquín Díaz, who reported no deaths or injuries.
The worst hurricane in a century
Tampa Bay has not been directly hit by a powerful hurricane in over a century. Scientists expect Milton to weaken slightly before it arrives, although it could maintain hurricane status as it moves through central Florida towards the Atlantic Ocean. According to the forecast, it will avoid other states battered by Helene, which caused at least 230 deaths on its path from Florida to the Appalachians.
The last time Tampa Bay was directly hit by a meteor of this magnitude was in 1921, and authorities fear the region and its inhabitants' luck may be running out. President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration for Florida and Kathy Castor, a representative in the House of Representatives, said that 7,000 federal workers were mobilized to assist in one of the largest operations in history.
"This Milton situation is serious," affirmed the Mayor of Tampa, Jane Castor, in a press conference on Monday. "If you want to confront Mother Nature, she will win 100% of the time."
Recovering from Helene
The Tampa Bay area continues to recover from the passing of Helene and its powerful storm surge: a wall of water up to 8 feet high that formed when its vortex was still 100 miles from the coast. Twelve people died there, and the worst damage was recorded on the chain of islands between St. Petersburg and Clearwater.
The forecast indicated that Milton could generate a storm surge of between 8 to 12 feet, which led to the issuance of evacuation orders for the Gulf coastal communities. In Florida, this means that anyone who stays should fend for themselves and that rescuers are not expected to put themselves in danger to assist them at the height of the storm.
The stragglers were a problem during the passage of Helene and Ian, in 2022. Many residents did not follow warnings, claiming that when they left in previous storms, the warnings of large storm surges did not materialize. But on Monday there were signs that people were leaving before the arrival of Milton.
A constant stream of vehicles headed north towards the northwest strip of Florida, the Panhandle, via Interstate 75, the main highway of the peninsula's west, as residents complied with evacuation orders. Traffic jammed in the lanes of the southbound route for miles, while other residents headed towards the relative safety of Fort Lauderdale and Miami, on the other side of the state.
Biden postpones trip
President Joe Biden will postpone a trip he had scheduled to Germany and Angola to stay at the White House to monitor Hurricane Milton, the White House announced on Tuesday.
Press Secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, said the change was necessary "given the projected path and strength" of the storm.
It was not indicated when the trip could be rescheduled. Biden promised to go to Africa during his term, which ends in January.