Category 5 Hurricane Milton is approaching Florida with maximum sustained winds of 160 miles per hour, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), which predicts that the system will remain a major hurricane and dangerous when it makes landfall on the coast of that state.
With Milton’s imminent arrival, this Tuesday was the last full day for Florida residents to prepare their families and homes, and evacuate if instructed to do so by local authorities.
The hurricane is forecast to make landfall in Florida as a major and dangerous hurricane on Wednesday night. or early Thursday morning.
According to the NHC bulletin at 11:00 pm (ET) this Tuesday, the system was located 245 miles west-southwest of Dry Tortugas, and 405 miles southwest of Tampa, Florida. recorded maximum sustained winds of 160 mph and was moving east-northeast at 12 mph.
The NHC indicated that some tornadoes are possible over central and southern Florida starting Tuesday night into Thursday morning.
When would devastating Hurricane Milton make landfall? This reveals the latest bulletin.
WARNINGS AND SURVEILLANCES
Hurricane warning for:
- West coast of Florida from Bonita Beach north to the mouth of the Suwannee River, including Tampa Bay
- East coast of Florida from St.Lucie County/Martin Line north to Ponte Vedra Beach.
Hurricane watch for:
- Dry Tortugas
- Lago Okeechobee
- West coast of Florida from Chokoloskee to south of Bonita Beach
- East coast of Florida north of Ponte Vedra Beach to the mouth of the St. Mary’s River
- For the east coast of Florida from St. Lucie County/Martin Line to Palm Beach County/Martin Line.
Storm surge advisory:
- Along the east coast of the United States: south to Sebastian Inlet, Florida, and north to Altamaha Sound, Georgia, including the St. Johns River.
- The west coast of Florida from Flamingo north to the Suwannee River, including Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay
Storm surge watch:
- North Altamaha Sound Georgia to Edisto Beach South Carolina
Tropical Storm Warning:
- All Florida Keys, including Dry Tortugas and Florida Bay
- Lago Okeechobee
- West coast of Florida from Flamingo to south of Bonita Beach
- West coast of Florida from north of the mouth of the Suwanee River to
Indian Pass. - Along the east coast of the United States: north to Altamaha Sound, Georgia.
- Florida East Coast south of St. Lucie County/Martin Line to Flamingo
- North of Ponte Vedra Beach to Altamaha Sound Georgia.
- For the northwest corner of the Bahamas, including Grand Bahama Island, the Abacos, and Bimini.
- From Dzilam to Cancun, in Mexico.
Tropical Storm Watch:
- From North Altamaha Sound Georgia to South Santee River, South Carolina.
WHAT WOULD BE MILTON’S IMPACT?
The National Hurricane Center predicts that Tampa Bay and Anclote River, in Florida, will suffer the most serious impact from the passage of the devastating system with rainfall accumulations of up to 15 feet.
Other coastal areas of western Florida will receive an accumulated 3 to 10 feet of rain and a few tornadoes are possible over central and southern Florida starting tonight and continuing into Wednesday night.
Additionally, the storm surge will raise water levels up to 4 to 6 feet above ground level along the northern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula in areas with onshore winds. Near the coast, the storm surge will be accompanied by large, destructive waves.
The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the coast, according to the weather agency.
Meteorologist Néstor Flecha explains in detail.
HELENE’S SHADOW IS STILL FELT IN FLORIDA
Since 1850, only two storms originating in the Bay of Campeche in the Gulf of Mexico have impacted Florida. If Milton continues his current trajectory, it would be the third.
Less than two weeks have passed since Helene made landfall Sept. 26 along Florida’s Big Bend coast after rampaging northward across the Gulf, causing a dozen deaths in Pinellas County and damaging or destroying homes and businesses along the Tampa Bay area peninsula.
25 Helene-related deaths have been reported in Florida, while at least 234 people in six states have died as a result of the storm.