Hurricane Milton, now classified as a Category 4 storm, is expected to strengthen as it threatens Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula on its way toward Florida, prompting evacuation orders for over a million residents.
The densely populated west coast of Florida, still recovering from the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene just two weeks prior, is preparing for Milton’s landfall, anticipated on Wednesday.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) projects that the storm will likely strike near the Tampa Bay area, which is home to more than 3 million people. Some evacuees are hurrying to clear debris left by Helene as they leave town.
With maximum sustained winds reaching 155 mph (250 kph), Milton has been downgraded from a Category 5 to a Category 4 hurricane, according to the NHC’s latest advisory. Although fluctuations in intensity are possible, Milton is expected to remain an extremely dangerous hurricane upon making landfall in Florida, leading to catastrophic damage and power outages lasting for days.
Fueled by the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Milton has rapidly intensified, becoming the third-fastest storm on record in the Atlantic, escalating from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane in less than 24 hours. Unusually, Milton is tracking eastward, as Gulf hurricanes typically originate in the Caribbean and move westward before turning north.
“It is exceedingly rare for a hurricane to form in the western Gulf, track eastward, and make landfall on the western coast of Florida,” noted Jonathan Lin, an atmospheric scientist at Cornell University. This unusual trajectory impacts where the storm surge will be most severe, with the NHC forecasting surges of 3 to 4.5 meters along the coastline near Tampa Bay.
Jamie Rhome, deputy director of the NHC, indicated that Milton is expected to increase in size before landfall, putting hundreds of miles of coastline at risk. The storm is likely to maintain hurricane status throughout its path across Florida.
As of 10 a.m. CDT on Tuesday, Milton was situated 105 kilometers north-northeast of Progreso, Mexico, and 840 kilometers southwest of Tampa, moving east at 9 mph (15 kph). The storm was predicted to strike the northern Yucatan Peninsula in the early hours of Tuesday, impacting areas rich in cultural and historical significance, including the city of Merida.
In Florida, officials have ordered evacuations for low-lying areas, with Pinellas County evacuating over 500,000 residents and Lee County ordering 416,000 people to leave mandatory evacuation zones. Several other coastal counties, including Hillsborough, have also issued evacuation orders.
As residents scramble to evacuate, local officials are concerned about potential traffic congestion and long lines at gas stations. Relief efforts continue throughout the southeastern U.S. in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which caused significant destruction and loss of life when it made landfall on September 26.
