Hurricane Milton weakened slightly on Tuesday, October 8th, but remains an extremely powerful storm that could double in size before slamming into west-central Florida late Wednesday., October 9th.
“Milton has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida,” John Cangialosi, a specialist with the National Hurricane Center, warned in an update on Tuesday, October 8. He said that damaging winds, life-threatening storm surges, and heavy rainfall will extend well outside the forecast cone.
Milton underwent stunningly rapid intensification Monday, with sustained winds reaching 180 mph. Early Tuesday, those winds were at 145 mph, still a fierce Category 4 storm. Cangialosi said fluctuations in the storm’s strength were expected as it closed in on the coast.
Gov. Ron DeSantis told Florida residents in the path of Milton that “time is running out” before landfall, likely as a Category 3 storm.
“There’s no guarantee what the weather’s going to be like starting Wednesday morning,” DeSantis said at a briefing Tuesday. “You may have a window where it may be safe, but you may not. So use today as your day to finalize and execute the plan that is going to protect you and your family.”
Storm surge of up to 15 feet was forecast for Sarasota, Tampa, and other west-central areas. Evacuations were underway in more than a dozen counties, and state officials suspended tolls and opened road shoulders to traffic. State troopers were escorting gasoline tankers into the Tampa area to ensure evacuees had enough gas to leave.
Shelters were open in all 67 Florida counties, and authorities urged residents of evacuation zones not to attempt to ride out the storm.
“I can say without any dramatization whatsoever, if you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas you’re gonna die,” Tampa Mayor Jane Castor told CNN.
Milton’s path updates: Hurricane Milton tracker
Developments
∎ Milton was centered about 545 miles southwest of Tampa early Tuesday, rolling east-northeast at 12 mph.
∎ Rainfall amounts of 5 to 12 inches, with localized totals up to 18 inches, were expected across central to northern portions of the Florida Peninsula through Thursday, the hurricane center said. “Life-threatening” flooding was possible.
With information from NOAA
TYT Newsroom
