Hurricane Milton dumped storm surges and rain on the Tampa Bay area Wednesday on its strong, potentially catastrophic journey toward Florida’s west coast, where officials issued a last-ditch appeal to residents to evacuate or face survival.
The US National Hurricane Center stressed that it was uncertain where Milton’s center would make landfall Wednesday night because the storm’s path could “move,” but the entire Tampa Bay region and points south were at high risk. Strong tropical storms were just off the coast by noon, the center said.
“This is it, folks,” said Cathie Perkins, director of emergency management for Pinellas County, sitting on the peninsula that makes up Tampa Bay. “Those of you who have been hit by typhoon Helene will be the bottom line. You have to get out and get out now.”
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Milton, which has weakened as it approaches Florida, was a powerful Category 4 hurricane by midday Wednesday. It was expected to remain a hurricane after making landfall and rain across the region, including the heavily populated Orlando area, until Thursday.
Tampa Bay, near the tip of a long coastline that could be in the bull’s eye, hasn’t been directly affected by a major hurricane in more than a century.
Residents shouldn’t feel uneasy because of indications that Milton might make landfall south of Tampa, Perkins said: “Everybody in Tampa Bay should think we’re going to be ground zero.”
Milton threatened shocked communities two weeks after Hurricane Helene pounded roads and homes in western Florida and left at least 230 people dead in the South. In many areas along the coast, municipalities are rushing to collect and dispose of debris before Milton’s wind and storm force can blow it and cause any damage.
This storm is expected to reach a height of 3.6 meters in Tampa Bay and up to 4.5 meters to the south, between Sarasota, Fla., and Fort Myers, Fla.
‘People must get to their safe place’
Mary Ann Fairman, 84, was among about 1,000 people at the shelter in West Bradenton. He stayed at home while Helene but packed blankets, snacks and toiletries and left this time. “The Gulf is literally in our backyard,” she said.
In Pasco County, home to more than half a million people in the sleepy communities of Tampa and St.
NASA released new video from the International Space Station on Wednesday showing Hurricane Milton as it spun toward Florida on Wednesday. Astronomer Matthew Dominick posted this video on social media, saying that the storm looks bigger but less intense than the previous day.
“This is your last chance if you need to get to the shelter,” they said in a statement. “After that, you’ll need to find a way to shelter or prepare to weather the storm.” The famous Sunshine Skyway Bridge, which spans the mouth of Tampa Bay, closes around noon. Other major bridges were also closed.
“Yesterday I said the clock is ticking. Today I say the alarm bell is really ringing. People need to get to their safe place,” said Ken Graham, director of the US National Weather Service.
At a press conference in Tallahassee, Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida described the deployment of many resources, including 9,000 National Guard members from Florida and other states; more than 50,000 power line workers from as far away as California; and patrol cars on the highway with slots to accompany fuel tanks to fill up goods so that people can fill their tanks before leaving.
“Unfortunately, there will be casualties. I don’t think there’s any way around that,” DeSantis said.
Milton was located about 240 kilometers southwest of Tampa on Wednesday afternoon and had maximum sustained winds of 209 km/h, the National Hurricane Center reported. It was moving northeast at 26 km/h.
Heavy rain and storms have battered parts of southern Florida since Wednesday morning, worsening the situation. Fifteen to 31 inches of rain, reaching 46 inches in some areas, was expected to move inland, creating the risk of severe flooding.
One twister touched down Wednesday morning in the sparsely populated Everglades and crossed Interstate 75. Another visible tornado touched down in Fort Myers, snapping tree limbs and tearing a gas station canopy into pieces.
Authorities have issued mandatory evacuation orders for all 15 Florida counties with a population of about 7.2 million. Officials warned that anyone who remains must fend for themselves, because the first responders were not expected to risk their lives trying to rescue them during the storm.
Matthew and Allison Davis of St. Petersburg, Fla., are among many Tampa Bay residents under a mandatory evacuation order ahead of Hurricane Milton’s arrival. The couple, who are beekeepers, say they have taken steps to protect their hives and are hopeful that things will get better after losing millions of bees in the last major storm, Helene.
‘We have a long road ahead of us’
The Mayor of St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch told residents to expect extended power outages and possible sewer system shutdowns.
“We have a long road ahead of us, but we will recover and we will rebuild,” Welch said. “But for the next few hours, our focus is to keep everyone safe, and we can do that.”
In Charlotte Harbor, Fla., about 100 miles south of Tampa, clouds swirled in the wind as Josh Parks packed his Kia sedan with clothes and other belongings. Two weeks ago, Helene’s operation brought about 1.5 meters of water to the area, and its streets are still littered with waterlogged furniture, torn walls and other debris.
Parks, a car technician, planned to flee to his daughter’s house in the middle of the country and said her roommate had left.
“I told him to pack as if you are not coming back,” he said.
Still in the wake of Hurricane Helene, millions of Floridians are now preparing for the worst as Hurricane Milton hits the state. Andrew Chang explains why Milton will be one of Florida’s worst hurricanes of the century.
By afternoon, airlines had canceled about 1,900 flights, more than 80 percent of them at three major airports closed by the storm, while the other, Miami International, remained open.
Air Canada previously told CBC News that about 20 flights back to the affected areas in Florida have been canceled so far. Travelers are advised to check the status of their flights before going to the airport.
The airline said it made nearly 900 additional seats available in Orlando and Tampa before the storm, and formalized plans to add more than 1,100 seats after the storm.
Mayor Ken Welch of St. Petersburg, Fla., says that while his city has invested to adapt to climate change, the effects of a warmer world are showing up faster than expected, meaning the construction of high seawalls and strong infrastructure.
“This is a dynamic situation and our plans may change depending on the storm, airport availability and more,” the airline said in a statement.
In the Tampa Bay area of ​​Gulfport, Christian Burke and his mother live in their three-story concrete house overlooking the bay. Burke said his father designed the home with Phase 5 in mind – and now they’re going to inspect it.
As a passing police car yelled for people to get out, Burke admitted it wasn’t a good idea to stay but said he was “not laughing at this storm at all” – he believes the house his father built will withstand it.
About 1,700 people hunted at Gibbs High School in St. Louis. Petersburg, including Trokon Nagbe and her husband, Morris Kulp. They slept on the floor because they didn’t bring their own.
“It’s not a Hilton or a Marriott,” Kulp said, “but it’s definitely worth it.”
In the meantime19:09Floridians flee second monster storm in weeks
Hurricane Milton is hitting Florida, just weeks after Hurricane Helene was devastating. Jaina Thatch is already out. He says that facing two storms back to back is unimaginable, he hopes that he will have a home to return to.