Millions in Florida are bracing for a potentially catastrophic punch from major Hurricane Milton, which threatens a historically deep and dangerous storm surge to a large swath of Florida’s west coast along with wind gusts well over 100 mph during the next 36 hours, reports Fox Weather.
Milton regained Category 5 strength Tuesday evening, a day after becoming among the strongest hurricanes on record in the Atlantic basin.
The monster storm maintained that strength overnight, but fell to Category 4 strength early Wednesday morning. Forecasters say it will likely remain a major hurricane when it makes landfall Florida’s west coast later on Wednesday evening or early Thursday morning.
“Milton has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida,” the NHC said Wednesday morning, reports Fox Weather.
Following Hurricane Irma in 2017, state officials have been working feverishly since Monday to evacuate millions of people from susceptible beaches. This is reportedly the greatest mass evacuation in Florida history.
Officials are also issuing strong warnings to individuals who chose not to leave.
“I’ve said many times that you want to pick a fight with Mother Nature, she’s winning 100 percent of the time,” Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said. “And individuals that are in these, say you’re in a single-story home. Twelve feet is above that house. So, if you’re in it, you know, basically that’s the coffin you’re in,” reports Fox Weather.
Forecasts for storm surge in the central western coast indicate that hurricane-force winds will create waves that are 10 to 15 feet deep and extremely destructive. These levels would be the highest in the Tampa Bay area in almost a century and much greater than the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene only a month ago.
“Yes, you might have ‘been through hurricanes before,'” FOX Weather Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross said. “But you weren’t through the 1921 storm that put water over much of Pinellas County, or the 1848 hurricane that put 15 feet of Gulf water where downtown Tampa is today,” reports Fox Weather.
“Before Hurricane Ian hit Southwest Florida, some people got confused, ended up making terrible decisions, and died, Norcross said. “Don’t let that happen to you,” reports Fox Weather.
President Joe Biden granted the state’s request for a pre-landfall emergency declaration on Monday, after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ proclamation of a state of emergency over the weekend for 51 of the 67 counties in the state.
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