Hurricane Milton

October 9th, 2024.

Tampa Bay residents awoke on Wednesday facing a nightmarish situation as Hurricane Milton approaches the Gulf Coast.

With the potential landfall area narrowing for tonight or early Thursday, anxious residents are preparing for the worst. Storm surge could reach heights of up to 15 feet, and power outages may last for weeks. The severity of Milton’s impact hinges on a minor shift in its trajectory.

The Tampa Bay area is currently under both a hurricane warning and a storm surge warning. Pinellas and Pasco counties have mandated evacuations for zones A, B, and C, as well as all mobile and manufactured homes. Hillsborough County has also ordered evacuations for residents in zones A and B, along with all mobile and manufactured homes.

According to the National Hurricane Center's 5 a.m. advisory, Milton has intensified into a "catastrophic" Category 5 storm, boasting maximum sustained winds of 160 mph.

Currently located about 300 miles southwest of Tampa, the storm is anticipated to make landfall late tonight or early Thursday as a "dangerous" major hurricane, delivering "devastating" hurricane-force winds to parts of the Gulf Coast.

The Tampa Bay area remains within the cone of uncertainty, with peak storm surge forecasts reaching up to 15 feet.

Forecasters warned, "If you are in the Storm Surge Warning area, this is an extremely life-threatening situation, and you should evacuate as soon as possible if ordered by local officials."

While the advisory predicts landfall near Sarasota as a Category 4 storm with sustained winds around 130 mph, experts cautioned against fixating on the precise landfall location, noting that the average error 24 hours out is approximately 40 miles. Significant impacts from the storm will extend far beyond its center.

Milton is expected to maintain hurricane status as it traverses the peninsula, posing "life-threatening" conditions to inland areas, particularly in terms of gusts.

Heavy rainfall is forecast through Thursday, raising the risk of "catastrophic and life-threatening" flash flooding, as well as moderate to major river flooding as the storm progresses eastward.