Hurricane Milton threatens Florida after devastating Yucatan
Florida braces for Hurricane Milton as Yucatan endures storm surge
Hurricane Milton surged rapidly in strength in the southern Gulf of Mexico on Monday. The Category-5 hurricane, the highest on the Saffir-Simpson scale, skirted the northern edge of the Yucatan peninsula, a region known for its tourist attractions and cargo ports. The U.S. National Hurricane Center warned of a potential 6-foot storm surge along Yucatan’s northern coast.
The historic city of Merida and the port of Progreso, close to popular Maya ruins, braced for the impact. The hurricane centre in Miami reported that Milton was 105 miles west of Progreso, moving east at 9 mph. It anticipated the storm would turn northeast by late Tuesday or early Wednesday, heading towards Florida’s Gulf coast. Sustained winds reached 175 mph.
Experts noted that Milton had intensified “explosively,” a trend seen in other storms this season, which they attribute to warmer ocean temperatures. Florida residents rushed to prepare for the hurricane’s arrival near Tampa, expecting severe winds, life-threatening storm surge, and heavy rains. This would be the second such event in two weeks for the Gulf Coast.
Florida is totally fucked. Get out now!
Seriously save yourselves….
Weatherman John Morales just broke down in tears on live tv as he just watched Hurricane Milton grow into the most powerful category 5 he’s ever seen.
Fucking run people. 😳 pic.twitter.com/viiNvFqPmS
— FoxyFarmer🦊🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇮🇱 (@GardensR4Health) October 7, 2024
Milton is projected to make landfall near the densely populated Tampa-St. Petersburg area on Wednesday, then move across Florida and into the Atlantic. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, during a news briefing, urged residents to take precautions after declaring a state of emergency for 51 counties. “This has the potential to have a lot of damage,” he said.
President Joe Biden also declared an emergency for Florida, enabling federal disaster-relief efforts to begin. Relief operations were already active in the U.S. Southeast following Hurricane Helene, a Category-4 storm that recently caused over 200 deaths across six states. Helene was the deadliest storm to hit the U.S. mainland since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which killed nearly 1,400 people.
As Milton approached, predictions of a particularly intense Atlantic hurricane season seemed increasingly accurate. Milton became the ninth hurricane of the season and the second to reach Category 5 status after Beryl, which achieved that designation in July. Mexico’s weather authority forecasted heavy rain for Monday and Tuesday over the states of Campeche and Yucatan.
What Other Media Are Saying
- AP News reports on Hurricane Milton intensifying into a Category 5 storm, threatening Florida’s west coast with potential landfall Wednesday, prompting evacuations and emergency preparations.(read more)
- WorkBoat reports that Hurricane Milton, having intensified to a Category 5 storm, poses catastrophic risks with sustained winds of 175 mph and potential storm surges of 8-12 feet in Florida.(read more)
- NBC Miami reports that Hurricane Milton, strengthened to Category 3, threatens Florida with storm surge and evacuations, impacting Miami-Dade, Broward, and the Tampa Bay area.(read more)
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
How strong is Hurricane Milton?
Hurricane Milton is a Category-5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 175 mph.
What areas are expected to be affected by Hurricane Milton?
Yucatan’s northern coast, especially Merida and Progreso, and Florida’s Gulf coast near Tampa.
What kind of storm surge is expected from Hurricane Milton?
A storm surge of up to 6 feet is expected along Yucatan’s northern coast.
What emergency declarations have been made for Hurricane Milton?
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and President Joe Biden have declared emergencies for Florida.
How does Hurricane Milton compare to other storms this season?
Milton is the season’s ninth hurricane and the second Atlantic storm to reach Category 5.
