Hurricane Milton to Make Landfall in Florida, Posing Major Threat to Life and Property

Hurricane Milton is set to make landfall in Florida tonight and into early Thursday, bringing with it a serious threat to life and property. The powerful storm is expected to unleash a combination of destructive storm surge, damaging winds, heavy rainfall, and the potential for several tornadoes across the state.

“The track of Hurricane Milton continues to be a worst-case scenario for the Tampa Bay region southward to Charlotte,” said the National Weather Service in Tampa Bay during a briefing on Wednesday morning.

This is a life-threatening situation, and all evacuations and storm preparations should be completed as soon as possible.

Current Status of Hurricane Milton

As of 8 a.m. EDT, Hurricane Milton is a Category 4 storm with winds of up to 155 mph. The center of the storm is located 250 miles southwest of Tampa, moving northeast at 16 mph. Rainfall from the storm has already begun in parts of the state.

A tornado watch has been issued for the southern half of Florida until 9 p.m. EDT, covering areas including Miami, Tampa Bay, and Fort Myers.

#Milton's pressure has fallen to 897 hPa – the lowest pressure in an Atlantic #hurricane since Wilma in 2005 (882 hPa). pic.twitter.com/UuUTVSfMOD

— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) October 8, 2024

Expanding Impact Area

Milton has grown significantly in size over the past 24 hours, with tropical-storm-force winds now extending up to 125 miles from the storm’s center. The hurricane’s growing size means that its impact will be felt over a large area of Florida.

Hurricane warnings have been issued for much of central Florida, from the Gulf coast to the Atlantic side, including Tampa Bay, Fort Myers, Orlando, Cape Canaveral, and Daytona Beach. This means that hurricane-force winds of 74 mph or more are expected in these areas by Wednesday evening and into Thursday.

Tropical storm warnings are also in effect for parts of Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.

Storm Surge Threat

A storm surge warning is in place along Florida’s Gulf Coast, from Flamingo to Yankeetown, including Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor. A storm surge warning is also in effect for parts of Florida’s Atlantic coast, from Sebastian Inlet to Altamaha Sound in Georgia.

Storm surge is expected to be between 8 to 15 feet in areas near where the storm makes landfall. If the surge reaches this level in Tampa Bay, it would be the highest in over 100 years. The surge will start building on Wednesday, peaking overnight into Thursday.

Wind and Flooding Risks

The strongest winds, capable of causing structural damage and widespread power outages, are expected to hit central Florida near where the center of Milton crosses the coast. Power outages could last for days in these areas. Strong winds are expected to begin late Wednesday on the Gulf coast and will spread across central Florida into Thursday.

Milton is also expected to bring catastrophic rainfall to central and northern Florida, with totals ranging from 6 to 12 inches, and some areas seeing up to 18 inches. This could lead to life-threatening flash flooding and major river flooding. The Weather Prediction Center has issued a “high risk” flood threat for central Florida, including Tampa Bay and Orlando.

The storm is also bringing the risk of tornadoes, particularly in central and southern Florida on Wednesday and Wednesday night. Some tornadoes could be strong, with an intensity of EF2 or greater.

Hurricane Milton’s Path So Far

Milton rapidly intensified after forming as a tropical storm on October 5. It became a hurricane on October 6 and then intensified further, reaching Category 5 strength with winds of 180 mph by the afternoon of October 7.

This made Milton one of only nine Atlantic hurricanes to ever reach that wind speed. Its pressure dropped to 897 millibars, the lowest in an Atlantic hurricane since Wilma in 2005.