Florida could see a Category 2 hurricane hit next week, bringing surge and high winds to the recovering west coast and serious flood risks to South and Central Florida.
Tropical Storm Milton officially formed on Saturday, October 5, and the National Hurricane Center said it could strengthen into a hurricane as soon as Monday, October 7th.
The National Hurricane Center’s first cone of uncertainty for Milton puts it on an eastward path through the Gulf of Mexico and into Florida’s west coast by Wednesday, October 9th — a second blow for a region still catching its breath from the devastating Category 4 Hurricane Helene.
Where the eye will come ashore is hard to predict this far out and will continue to shift. The latest track takes it onshore just south of Tampa Bay, across Bradenton.
However, all of South Florida will feel the impacts of this storm, regardless of where it makes landfall. Tropical storm winds are expected to expand 150 miles from the center, which will reach Miami-Dade and Broward.
The major threat from this storm is flooding. It will be a risk for places far outside the direct path of the storm and the cone.
Parts of Florida were already getting drenched on Saturday, a trend expected to continue through Tuesday and enough to cause flooding on its own. Miami-Dade and Broward County were already under flood advisories Saturday morning.
Already soggy ground will flood even faster with just a little bit of water. The new system is expected to bring heavy rains over the southern half of the state.
“The best way to think about it is that Florida will see a one-two punch. The first one will bring us rain Sunday into Monday with an area of low pressure along a stalled outfront. Then the 2nd, main punch from a tropical storm or hurricane approaches on Tuesday into Wednesday,” Matt Devitt, chief meteorologist for Southwest Florida’s WINK news TV channel.
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