Hurricane Milton lost power on Wednesday and dropped to Category 2 status, with maximum sustained winds of 175 kilometers per hour (110 miles), after making landfall on Siesta Key, on the west coast of Florida, but still represents a significant danger due to wind gusts.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in its latest bulletin that Milton is also causing flash flooding in the Tampa Bay area as it moves toward eastern Florida.
The extremely dangerous Hurricane Milton made landfall on Wednesday night on Siesta Key, near the city of Sarasota, on the west coast of Florida (USA), with maximum sustained winds of 205 kilometers per hour (120 miles), that is, a Category 3 storm.
The Milton center reached the tourist area of Florida, known for its beaches and pristine waters, at around 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time (00:30 GMT).
Moments before the powerful storm made landfall, Florida authorities reported that at least 19 tornadoes had been recorded in central and southern Florida throughout today and that more than 125 homes had been destroyed.
Minutes after Milton made landfall, some 780,000 customers in Florida were without power, according to statistics from the specialist website PowerOutage.
According to forecasts from the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC), dangerous storm surges are expected in populated cities along this part of the coast, such as Fort Myers, Sarasota, St. Petersburg and Tampa, which can raise sea levels by up to 4.5 meters.
According to forecasts from the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC), dangerous storm surges are expected in populated cities along this part of the coast, such as Fort Myers, Sarasota, St. Petersburg and Tampa, which can raise sea levels by up to 4.5 meters.
Hurricane Milton downgraded to Category 3
Hurricane Milton has been downgraded to Category 3 in the last few hours on its way to the west coast of Florida, a state in the southeastern United States where the first tornadoes have already occurred and the arrival of this powerful cyclone is expected as the first of its kind in more than a century.
According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC), Milton has weakened somewhat and by this afternoon had maximum sustained winds of 215 kilometers per hour. However, it has grown in size and its tropical storm-force winds extend outward up to 400 kilometers from its center.
In an update issued at 3:00 p.m. local time (19:00 GMT), the weather center said that these tropical storm winds are already beginning to move inland on the west coast of Florida, where tornadoes have also occurred moments before in the central and southern parts of the state.
Hurricane Milton , classified as “extremely dangerous” by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) , had again reached Category 5 strength as it advances towards the coast of Florida.
According to the latest forecasts, the cyclone will impact Tampa Bay during the night of this Wednesday, with devastating winds and a highly destructive storm surge.
Real-time trajectory
You can follow the path of Hurricane Milton live to see how it progresses and the areas affected in the coming days. Although its wind speed has fluctuated, its size continues to increase, which increases the danger for areas close to its path.
Authorities have warned that sea levels could rise by up to four metres above peak high tide levels, which combined with the waves could lead to catastrophic effects.
Emergency evacuations in Tampa
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor this morning reiterated the importance of following evacuation orders issued for the most vulnerable areas.
In an interview with ABC News, Castor warned: “If you’re in a one-story house and the waters rise more than 13 feet, there’s nowhere to escape. That house could become a death trap.”
President Biden’s message: “Evacuate while you can”
President Joe Biden has also urged Florida residents to evacuate as soon as possible.
“Listen to your local authorities, evacuate while it is safe to do so,” he said at a press conference. He also reminded those who cannot evacuate that they can search for nearby shelters by texting the word ‘SHELTER’ along with their zip code to 43362.
