Hurricane Milton tracker, which emerged as a tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday afternoon, has escalated to a Category 1 hurricane by Sunday. According to reports from CBS News, the storm is anticipated to make landfall by Wednesday as a Category 3 hurricane along Tampa’s western shoreline in Florida.
In an advisory released on Sunday evening, meteorologists from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) indicated that Milton is traversing the central and eastern sections of the Gulf, with an expected east-northeastward trajectory on Monday. The storm is predicted to accelerate on Tuesday and Wednesday as it approaches the Florida coast.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has issued a warning that preparations are underway for the possible evacuation of over 6 million residents, while the state continues to address the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which struck the area last week. He has expanded the state of emergency declaration to encompass 51 counties.
The White House has confirmed that President Biden has been apprised of the situation, including the hurricane’s potential ramifications for the Florida Gulf Coast and the preemptive measures being taken by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
In Mexico, a hurricane watch has been declared for the coastline stretching from Celestún to Cabo Catoche, along with a tropical storm warning from Celestún to Cancun, as noted by the NHC. Residents in the Florida Peninsula, the Florida Keys, and the northwestern Bahamas are advised to monitor the storm’s progression.
The NHC has cautioned that the risks of “life-threatening impacts” are escalating for segments of Florida’s western coastline. Forecasts indicate that storm surges could elevate water levels by 2 to 4 feet above ground along the northern Yucatan Peninsula coast, where destructive waves are also expected throughout the week.
Local residents are urged to finalize their hurricane preparedness plans. Portions of the Florida Peninsula and the Keys can expect rainfall amounts between 5 to 10 inches, with localized areas potentially receiving up to 15 inches through Wednesday night. Such precipitation poses a significant risk of flash flooding, urban flooding, and moderate to major river flooding, meteorologists have warned. Meanwhile, the northern Yucatan Peninsula may experience 2 to 4 inches of rainfall.
In other news, Hurricane Kirk has diminished to a Category 2 hurricane as of Sunday, moving rapidly north-northeast over open waters. Currently, no coastal watches or warnings are in effect for this storm.
Hurricane Milton arrives just over a week after Hurricane Helene devastated Florida’s Big Bend region as a formidable Category 4 storm, resulting in at least 20 fatalities in the state. After making landfall with winds reaching 140 mph, Helene surged inland across the Southeast, causing more than 200 deaths and widespread destruction. As of Sunday afternoon, over 350,000 utility customers in Florida remain without power as recovery efforts continue.
The hurricane season extends from June 1 to November 30, with peak activity typically occurring between August and October. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an average Atlantic hurricane season witnesses about 14 named storms, of which seven develop into hurricanes and three into major hurricanes. As of early October, eight hurricanes have formed in the Atlantic, with Milton tracker marking the 13th named storm of this hurricane season. Notably, the season is ahead of its usual schedule, as the 13th storm typically does not manifest until at least October 25.
Earlier this week, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas cautioned that FEMA may lack sufficient funding to navigate the remainder of the season. President Biden indicated that Congress may need to approve a supplemental spending bill in the upcoming months to aid states in their recovery endeavors.
