Satellite view of Hurricane Milton at 10:50 a.m. Wednesday. (NOAA)
Heavy rain is lashing Florida’s west coast Wednesday morning ahead of Milton, which remains on track to slam the state late Wednesday and Thursday as an extremely dangerous hurricane.
It will bring destructive storm surge, damaging winds and severe flooding to many of the same areas still reeling from Hurricane Helene’s devastating flooding and winds less than two weeks ago. Tornadoes could also hit some areas.
Either way, the storm is predicted to increase in size before landfall and will almost certainly deliver a historic, life-threatening storm surge — a rise in ocean water over normally dry land — along a large portion of Florida’s west coast, with damaging winds and heavy rain penetrating well inland. A smaller but still dangerous storm surge is predicted along the northern portion of Florida’s east coast and northward along the coast of Georgia and southeastern South Carolina as Milton emerges into the Atlantic Ocean.
Here are the forecasts for six Florida cities in or near Milton’s path:
Tampa
What local forecasters are saying: “Milton has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida,” the National Weather Service office serving the Tampa Bay area said in a forecast discussion.
“The bottom line is that anyone located within an evacuation zone under evacuation orders or who has been ordered to evacuate otherwise should follow the guidance of local authorities and leave if told to do so. It’s a decision that could save your life.”
Storm surge: Life-threatening and historic storm surge of 8 to 12 feet above ground level is possible; the window of concern is from Wednesday through Thursday evening. Small shifts in the storm track could significantly increase or decrease the surge.
Impacts:
Water possibly reaching several miles inland.
Near-shore escape routes and secondary roads washed out or severely flooded.
Structural damage to buildings, with many washing away.
Battering waves and massive damage to marinas, docks and piers.
Numerous small craft broken away from moorings, lifted onshore and stranded.
Locations may be uninhabitable for an extended period.
Peak winds: Sustained 80 to 110 mph; gusts to 125 mph; strongest winds from Wednesday evening through Thursday afternoon. Small shifts in the storm track could significantly increase or decrease the winds.
Impacts:
Structural damage to some sturdy buildings.
Complete destruction of mobile homes.
Large airborne projectiles.
Numerous trees down; many roads and bridges impassable.
Widespread power and communication outages.
Rainfall: 10 to 15 inches.
Flooding rain threat: High (Level 4 out of 4); Wednesday morning through Thursday morning.
Impacts:
Floodwaters can enter numerous buildings, some becoming uninhabitable or washed away.
Streets and parking lots can become rivers of raging water with underpasses submerged.
Rivers and streams may overwhelmingly overflow their banks.
Numerous road and bridge closures with some weakened or washed out.
Numerous evacuations and rescues may be necessary.
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