Hurricane Milton has caused widespread destruction along the Florida coast, leaving a trail of damage and uncertainty. Updates on the situation are crucial for residents and visitors in the region, who are seeking information amidst the approaching storm.
🔴Live updates: Hurricane Milton – Florida, EUA
The science of how Hurricane Milton became such a monster
At nearly every turn, Hurricane Milton has offered surprises.
What started as a small, tightly wound hurricane has grown into a sprawling monster that intensified at one of the fastest rates in recorded history. The storm threatens to send a dangerous surge of water to parts of both Florida’s west and east coasts, with the flood-prone metropolitan area of Tampa Bay — home to more than 3 million people — at particular risk.
As the storm developed, record warm seas in the Gulf of Mexico aided its intensification. Later, it grew in size as it underwent a process of eyewall replacement.
Here’s how Milton developed into such a significant threat.
Intense wind and rain swirl around storm chaser in Bradenton
Storm chaser Ben McMillan joined NBC News live from Bradenton, Florida, where Milton is raging. Intense wind and rain swirled around him as he shouted over loud gusts.
He said significant storm surges were coming in from the bay as conditions quickly go downhill. He added that he is seeing power flashes from a distance.
“The last few moments have gotten extremely violent with the wind,” McMillan said. “It’s safe to say the storm is not over yet.”
Power outages, storm surge concerns hit Sarasota County
Some 160,000 people do not have power in Sarasota County, where emergency management officials are also closely tracking the storm surge.
Sarasota County Emergency Management Chief Sandra Tapfumaneyi said much of the area experienced a storm surge of about 5 to 6 feet during Hurricane Helene and anything more than that would be catastrophic for thhe area.
Hurricane Milton moving inland with storm surge, extreme winds and floods
The center of Milton was moving inland into Florida at 9 p.m., after the hurricane made landfall not far from Sarasota around a half hour earlier, forecasters said.
The center of Milton, which made landfall as a Category 3 storm, was around 5 miles north of Sarasota and was moving east-northeast at 15 mph, the National Hurricane Center said.
The storm’s maximum sustained wind speed was 115 mph, which makes it still a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson wind scale.
Life-threatening storm surge, extreme winds and flash flooding continue as the hurricane moves inland, the National Hurricane Center said.
Strongest part of hurricane still to hit Sarasota
Sarasota remains in the eye of the storm, where it has been eerily quiet for about 45 minutes.
I’ve covered a lot of hurricanes, and you forget how still it can get. Trees were knocked down earlier and then suddenly it just stopped.
Some people have come out in their cars and out of their hotel rooms to look around to look around when they should be sheltering in place. When we get to the back of the eye wall, it will be a very different story.
After Helene, people taking storm surge more seriously, Sarasota mayor says
People in the Sarasota, Florida, area have been taking the threat of Hurricane Milton and its storm surge seriously after what happened with Hurricane Helene, the mayor said.
Helene flooded Florida’s Gulf Coast with storm surge before making landfall in the Big Bend on Sept. 26. More than 240 people died in six states, including 25 in Florida.
“People after Helene realized that it really isn’t a joke to say that there’s going to be storm surge,” Sarasota Mayor Liz Alpert said.
“Before that, we heard that all the time — I have to admit myself — but it never happened,” Alpert said. “But this time it happened. People saw what it could do and took this warning seriously.”
In Charlotte County, south of Sarasota, some past storms were mainly severe winds, Sheriff Bill Prummell said.
With Helene, there was storm surge and flooding that severely damaged or destroyed more than 2,000 homes, he said, even though the center of that storm was 180 miles offshore when it passed.
“So I think once people realized that the storm surge was coming here, and it was going to be probably three times what Helene was, they started to get out,” Prummell said.
More than 1 million without power in Florida
Power outages are rising rapidly in Florida, with 1,115,813 customers powerless at 9:15 p.m., according to poweroutage.us, about 45 minutes after Milton made landfall.
Sarasota, Manatee and Hardee are the most affected counties. Siesta Key, where Milton made landfall, is in Sarasota County.
Orlando residents urged to shelter within the next 30 minutes
Officials in Orlando are warning residents that if they aren’t sheltered in place in the next 30 minutes, it’ll be too late.
The eye of Milton is passing over Sarasota and will continue to creep east across the state toward Orlando.
Tampa beginning to feel Milton’s power
Reporting from Tampa, Florida
Electricity is flickering in and out. Palm trees appear as though they’re about to snap. Street lamps waver back and forth.
Even from the safety of my Tampa hotel room, Milton’s ferociousness is becoming increasingly hard to look away from.
Ferocious gusts blowing in Tampa
In Tampa, about 73 miles north of where Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, ferocious gusts are blowing.
Trees are being bent over by the wind, and signs are on the ground across the city as it faces a one-two punch it has not experienced in a very long time.
It has been raining all day in Tampa, but the rain has gotten much stronger recently. In one area of the city, 2 to 3 inches of rain per hour could fall, on top of what has already fallen today.
In total, Tampa could get upward of a foot of rain just weeks after it was flooded by Hurricane Helene.
The night appeared quiet and calm in Sarasota as Milton’s eye passed over tonight, but the hurricane’s most powerful winds and storm surge are still expected to come.
With no rain or wind, drivers could be seen doing donuts, racing and driving toward nearby barrier islands.
In anticipation of the incoming danger, authorities were nowhere to be seen.
About 10 hurt, buildings are destroyed in Wellington after reported tornado
About 10 people were injured in Wellington after a reported tornado today as Hurricane Milton approached Florida, the town manager said.
There were varying levels of injury, from minor to those requiring life support, Wellington Village Manager Jim Barnes said.
Some buildings were obliterated, cars were flipped and came to rest against houses, and trees were torn down, said Barnes, who witnessed some of the devastation.
Wellington is a town of around 65,000 close to the Atlantic coast, about 13 miles west of West Palm Beach.
There were 19 confirmed tornado touchdowns in Florida today as the hurricane approached, Gov. Ron DeSantis said. “Numerous counties have reported tornado damage,” he said.
Expect heavy rain and extreme gusts for several hours
Heavy rain and extreme wind warning will continue for all areas north of Sarasota, contributing to wind gust up to 96 mph.
The storm will move through central Florida throughout the next several hours. Orlando could get wind gusts up to 80 mph.
The rain will become a huge issue near Tampa as flash flood warnings continue for the entire region, which could get 10 inches.
Dangerous Storm and Tornadoes Before Impact
The dangerous storm triggered a surge of tornadoes before reaching the coast. With the eye of Hurricane Milton passing over Sarasota, the city remains in an eerie silence, only broken by the chirping of birds that seem to ignore the gravity of the situation. However, this calm is merely a facade before the storm’s arrival.
Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson provided a live update to NBC News, expressing relief as he stated that Milton wasn’t proving to be as severe as initially feared. “There were some gusty winds and light rain,” he reported. Despite expectations, the city experienced a series of tornadoes earlier in the day, an event that caught many off guard.
“Most citizens heard the evacuation warnings, and businesses boarded up, something we hadn’t seen before,” Anderson commented. This preventive action, though recognized late, is a direct response to the potential impact of the hurricane.
Storm Impacts Across Florida
As of 9 PM, over 779,000 customers were without power across Florida, according to the outage tracking site poweroutage.us. Most power outages are concentrated on the Atlantic Coast, while Milton made landfall near Siesta Key around 8:30 PM.
The storm has an impressive reach, with tropical storm-force winds extending up to 225 miles from its center, and hurricane-force winds reaching up to 35 miles. These statistics underscore the seriousness of the situation, with winds reaching the strength of a Category 3 hurricane, with maximum speeds of 120 mph.
In Fort Myers, water is rising quickly, with about one to two feet of water already flowing through the streets. Preparation for the storm is crucial, and local authorities are mobilizing to face the crisis.
Government Response and Emergency Preparedness
With Milton’s arrival, the federal government approved a state of emergency for Florida. President Biden highlighted the readiness of federal teams to respond to the situation, stating that “thousands of agents are on the ground ready to act.”
Biden also revealed that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has prepared search and rescue teams, as well as high-speed watercraft, close to the storm. The FEMA director will be present at the Florida emergency operations center, with 20 million meals and 40 million liters of water already prepared for distribution to storm victims.
Destruction Alert and Calls for Caution
Despite the preparation efforts, President Biden warned that “Milton still carries incredible destructive power, capable of devastating communities and causing loss of life.” The storm is still expected to result in flooding that could reach up to four meters, intensifying the risks for local residents.
Local authorities are urging the public to heed instructions and recommendations, emphasizing the importance of following safety guidelines. With the storm moving in, the focus must remain on protecting lives and minimizing damage.
Updates on Hurricane Milton are essential for the safety of Florida residents. The storms, tornadoes, and ongoing impacts demonstrate the seriousness of the situation. Stay tuned for updates and follow local authorities’ guidance to ensure everyone’s safety.
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