Hurricane Milton has weakened slightly over the past few hours and is expected to hit the Florida coast as a Category 3 storm on Thursday.
Those living in the St. Petersburg and Tampa areas have already been told to ‘shelter in place’ by the hurricane center as extremely dangerous winds are sweeping through the region.
Earlier this afternoon, the Miami National Weather Service confirmed at least four twisters, one of which was a ‘multi-vortex tornado’. Tornado warnings were subsequently issued to numerous cities, many of which already had storm surge and hurricane warnings in place.
While Milton has weakened slightly from a Category 5 storm, it is still expected to cause significant damage as a Category 3 hurricane.
As of 5 p.m. local time, the wind speeds were up to 120 miles per hour. However, its intensity is likely to fluctuate as it spreads across the Gulf of Mexico, according to the hurricane center.
When Will Hurricane Milton Reach Florida?
According to meteorologist Nikki Nolan, Milton will likely reach the Florida coast between 9 and 10 p.m. local time on Wednesday, which is sooner than the original forecast.
Once the storm reaches the coast, it will make its way across Florida. While wind speeds are expected to weaken rapidly, it will still be highly destructive with its hurricane status.
Then on Thursday, it will exit into the ocean and transition into a tropical storm.
Hurricane Warnings
The west and east coasts of Florida currently have a hurricane warning in place.
Storm surges are also a major threat for those on the west coast. As of Wednesday, there are storm surge warnings in effect for several regions including Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor.
The east coast, from Georgia’s Altamaha Sound to the Sebastian Inlet in Florida, also has a storm surge warning in place.
Parts of the Bahamas as well as George also have tropical storm warnings and watches in place.
According to the National Weather Service, the storm will bring about ‘life-threatening situations’ and those in a Storm Surge Warning should evacuate immediately.
In the Tampa Bay area, the storm surge is expected to reach upwards of 12 feet above ground level. While that’s lower than the initial forecast of 15 feet, it is still expected to be highly destructive.
Heavy rainfall, upwards of 17 to 18 inches in some regions, may also bring about ‘life-threatening flash and urban flooding’ in certain areas pf the peninsula.
Mass Evacuations
Highways in and around the area are currently clogged with cars as individuals are racing to evacuate. Some residents, such as those from the Tampa Bay region, are still reeling from Hurricane Helene as well.
The government has currently set up 149 emergency shelters across Florida state, which are open to everyone.
Many residents who reside in the hurricane’s potential path have also lined their homes and properties with sandbags prior to Milton’s arrival.
Officials are also urging people to prepare for power outages and to stock up on water and food. Those in or around evacuation zones who have not yet left the area are also urged to seek local shelters as time is running out.
