Published on October 7, 2024 at 11:58 p.m.
On Monday, Milton rapidly intensified and reached Category 5 hurricane status, with sustained winds of 180 mph. Florida is preparing for the worst. Details.
In short:
One hour away from record intensification
Saturday morning, a tropical system emerged in the Gulf of Mexico. In less than three hours, it became Milton, the thirteenth named tropical storm of the season. However, this intensification was only just beginning: Milton quickly became a category 1 hurricane on Sunday night, then category 5 late Monday morning. This monster is heading straight for the Tampa area on the west coast of Florida. Remember that the region has not experienced a major hurricane since Easy in 1950.
Milton almost broke a record: it went from tropical storm to Category 5 hurricane in 25 hours. The record belongs to Wilma in 2005, who did it in just 24 hours. The warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, oscillating between 28 and 30 degrees, provide ideal conditions for the rapid intensification of tropical systems. As of this writing, Milton’s sustained winds are 290 km/h. With a pressure of 897 millibars, it became the fifth most powerful hurricane in Atlantic history.
Surprising fact: in October 2015, the sustained winds of Patricia, a category 5 hurricane, blew up to 345 km/h. It is the most powerful hurricane ever recorded in terms of wind speed. When it comes to atmospheric pressure, the title belongs to Typhoon Tip of 1979.
Devastating waves
According to NOAA, Milton is expected to lose intensity on Wednesday and make landfall as a Category 3 Wednesday evening. Storm surges pose the greatest threat: they pose the greatest risk of flooding and flash flooding along the coast. Tampa is particularly vulnerable to storm surges due to its geography.
Waves three to nearly five meters high are expected to hit the coasts of the Tampa area, with gusts of more than 200 km/h in places. Waves of more than a meter could also hit the Big Bend coast, which is barely recovering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. Milton could thus act like salt on the wound.
Mandatory evacuation advisories are issued for Fort Myers Beach and Charlotte County. Flight delays are expected. As of Tuesday morning, Tampa International Airport will be completely closed.
After making landfall, Milton will continue to lose intensity. However, it will cross the peninsula from west to east as a category 1 or 2 hurricane. Torrential rains are expected. In places, quantities could exceed 200 mm, notably in a corridor stretching from Tampa to Daytona Beach, via Orlando. The situation is being monitored very closely by the authorities.
