Hurricane Milton is an extremely dangerous Category 5 hurricane with sustained winds of 182 mph. It is currently positioned over the southern Gulf of Mexico, heading towards the west coast of Florida. The National Hurricane Center has issued multiple warnings in anticipation of devastating impacts, including:
- Storm Surge: Heights of up to 15 feet are expected, posing a historic threat to areas such as Tampa Bay and Fort Myers [1] [2].
- Wind and Evacuations: The hurricane has brought about mass evacuations, with tropical storm-force winds expected throughout nearly all of Florida [1] [6].
- Rain and Flooding: Heavy rainfall of 6 to 18 inches could lead to flash and river flooding across central and northern Florida [2].
- Potential Landfall: The storm is expected to weaken slightly but remain a Category 3 hurricane upon making landfall late Wednesday night around the Tampa and Sarasota areas [3].
Residents are urged to stay informed through official sources and follow evacuation orders.
Citations:
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvl05XN10qA
[2] https://weather.com/storms/hurricane/news/2024-10-08-hurricane-milton-florida-forecast-storm-surge-wind-damage-rainfall
[3] https://abcnews.go.com/US/live-updates/milton-forecast-hurricane-tracker/?id=114553995
[4] https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2024/10/08/hurricane-milton-florida-live-updates/
[5] https://updates.emergency.ufl.edu/2024/10/07/hurricane-milton-update-4-10-7-24/
[6] https://weather.com/storms/hurricane/news/2024-10-08-hurricane-milton-live-updates-news
