As it goes towards Florida, it reaches Category 3 strength
The Florida Peninsula is preparing for the largest evacuation since Hurricane Irma since August 31, 2017: a weather-driven, high-intensity, Category 4 storm
The forecasts said that the storm is going to get stronger before hitting Florida on Tuesday, and that it will probably be a Category 4 storm.
The storm is located to the west-northwest of Mexico and in the west-southwest of Florida. There are warnings in effect for parts of the west coast of the Florida Peninsula as well as watches and warnings for the coast of the Yucatec Peninsula.
The NHC says most models agree that Milton will cross the Florida Peninsula, though people “should not focus on the exact track” because models still disagree about the exact location and timing of landfall.
Communities like Sarasota, Tampa and Fort Myers, as well as others along the western Florida coastline, are bracing for what officials warn will be a life-threatening storm. Storm surges are predicted to reach up to 15 feet high, and several towns were placed under a mandatory evacuation.
There is also a growing risk of life-threatening storm surge and damaging winds for parts of Florida’s west coast beginning late Tuesday or early Wednesday. Water levels may go as high as 8 to 12 feet in coastal areas of Florida, according to forecasters.
“Residents in that area should follow any advice given by local officials and evacuate if told to do so,” the NHC said, referring to the west coast of the peninsula.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has already expanded an emergency declaration to cover 51 of the state’s 67 counties and is warning people across the peninsula to prepare.
He urged people not to get wedded to the cone. If you live outside the forecast cone, you should be prepared for potential impacts. We recommend following all evacuation orders from your local officials.”
Florida Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie said on Sunday that the state is preparing “for the largest evacuation that we have seen most likely since 2017 Hurricane Irma,” when nearly 6.8 million Floridians left their homes, resulting in statewide traffic jams.
He also warned inland residents that it was better if they stayed in place, even if they didn’t need electricity for medical needs or an evacuate zone.
In the past year, residents in low-lying areas have been ordered to leave, as have mobile homes and RV’s, while healthcare facilities have been ordered to be evacuated.
Many people still recovering from the effects of Helene are being asked if they used up their reserves of food, water, and pet food. Are they required to buy fresh batteries? Have they restocked their supply kits to last each family member up to seven days?
It states that public school districts will be closed from Monday through Wednesday and that Florida Gulf Coast University will close its campus on Tuesday and Wednesday due to shifting to remote operations.
But it is expected to exit into the Atlantic Ocean, sparing many of the southeastern states that were hit hardest by Helene, including Georgia and the Carolinas.
At least 149 people were killed in Hurricane Ian due to flooding brought on by 15-foot storm surge and 155-mph winds. It was among the most expensive hurricanes on record.
The warm water of the Gulf of Mexico makes it easy for hurricanes to strengthen quickly and bring even more wind and rain.
And this is officially the first time three simultaneous hurricanes have been recorded in the Atlantic Ocean after September, according to storm researcher Philip Klotzbach. In addition to Milton, Hurricanes Kirk and Leslie are also brewing.
Chris Smith rushed to the entrance of his local Walmart on Tuesday afternoon in order to get supplies ahead of a storm that was predicted to hit Florida’s west coast.
The Florida Legislature’s budget for a hurricane event: delivering fuel in the state of Florida when the gas is running out and dispatching to Florida by port
“I have a friend that lives downtown in one of the high-rise condos, so I can park my car at a higher level. Smith said there was no way that building would be affected.
He’s fortifying the windows of his home before driving over there. Seeing the massive destruction of Hurricane Helene, which was a Category 4 when it hit Florida nearly two weeks ago, has Smith feeling paranoid about this storm, he said.
He said it was very serious. “And I never feel that way. He said it’s going to be destructive because of all the information.
Smith, who lives in Florida, decided not to drive to Georgia because he was concerned about potential gas shortages.
There is nowhere to get gas when you are driving. Everybody is filling their tank. He said that he was pretty sure half the gas stations were empty. He believed it would be difficult to find a gas station with fuel in Georgia.
The fuel has been dispatched in the past 24 hours because gas stations have run out. We have an additional 1.2 million gallons of both diesel and gasoline that is currently en route to the state of Florida. Fuel continues to arrive in the state of Florida by port,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said during a press conference Tuesday morning.
The Fortress of the Caloosahatchee River During the Decay of Hurricane Ian: Robert Parker, 47, and his son and family
It’s not a storm from two years ago that is uppermost in the mind of people in other areas of the state.
Robert Parker, 37, stayed in his house with his son and fiancé when Hurricane Ian hit. The Caloosahatchee River is prone to floods due to the storm surge. They were almost drowned during Hurricane Ian.
“We are going to board everything up and ride it out in a hotel,” Parker said. After the storm is over, I have to get back to the property and make sure everything is okay.
Husz told NPR that he knew more people leaving than ever before. But she’s not leaving. Husz said that she wanted to guard the fort and that she had a generator and shutters. “So I’ve given myself some degree — whether it’s false or not — a sense of security, and I’ve done all I know to do.”
Florida on Tuesday issued a mandatory evacuation order for its west coast as Hurricane Michael approaches the state. “We are very concerned about the possibility of a major and potentially life-threatening storm surge and very damaging winds,” the state’s Governor Ron DeSantis said. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has said that Michael is expected to make landfall on Florida’s west coast on Tuesday.