Hurricane Milton is once again a Category 5 cyclone and is expected to remain a powerful hurricane through landfall on Thursday.
TAMPA, Fla. — Millions in Florida are bracing for a potentially catastrophic punch from major Hurricane Milton, which threatens a historically deep and dangerous storm surge to a large swath of Florida’s west coast along with wind gusts well over 100 mph when the storm strikes Wednesday night or Thursday morning.
Milton regained Category 5 strength Tuesday evening, a day after becoming among the strongest hurricanes on record in the Atlantic basin. When it reaches the Florida coast, it is still forecast to be a major hurricane.
TRACKING HURRICANE MILTON: FORECAST CONE, SPAGHETTI MODELS, LIVE RADAR AND MORE
“It’s worth emphasizing that this is a very serious situation,” the National Hurricane Center warned on Tuesday. “Milton has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida.”
Hurricane Hunters investigate Milton while it was strengthening over the Gulf of Mexico.
State officials have been scrambling since Monday to get millions off vulnerable coastlines in what is described as the largest mass evacuation in Florida since Hurricane Irma in 2017. Storm surge forecasts along the central western coast are predicting 10–15 feet of water topped with devastating waves driven by hurricane-force winds. Those levels — significantly higher than the damage wrought just last month by Hurricane Helene — would surpass anything seen in over a century in the Tampa Bay area.
“Yes, you might have ‘been through hurricanes before,'” FOX Weather Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross said. “But you weren’t through the 1921 storm that put water over much of Pinellas County, or the 1848 hurricane that put 15 feet of Gulf water where downtown Tampa is today.”
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The Florida National Guard has mobilized 5,000 troops to assist with the response, with an additional 3,000 expected to be deployed before the storm makes landfall. The Florida Department of Transportation opened the shoulders on Interstate 4 and Interstate 75 going north to help speed up evacuations, and tolls have been suspended.
“Before Hurricane Ian hit Southwest Florida, some people got confused, ended up making terrible decisions, and died, Norcross said. “Don’t let that happen to you.”
FOX Weather Correspondent Robert Ray shows the lingering destruction along Bradenton Beach from Hurricane Helene’s storm surge amid forecasts of storm surge reaching several feet higher with Hurricane Milton.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a State of Emergency over the weekend for 51 of the state’s 67 counties, and on Monday, President Joe Biden approved the state’s pre-landfall emergency declaration request.
HURRICANE MILTON’S WINDS COULD RAM CONSTRUCTION CRANES INTO DOWNTOWN ST. PETE BUILDINGS
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ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA – OCTOBER 07: Traffic is heavy as thousands evacuate ahead of Hurricane Milton as it churns in the Gulf of Mexico on October 07, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Florida. Milton, which comes on heels of the destructive Hurricane Helene, has strengthened to a Category 5 storm as it approaches Florida’s Gulf Coast near St. Petersburg and Tampa, where it is projected to make landfall Wednesday. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
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A boarded up shop ahead of Hurricane Milton’s expected landfall in Treasure Island, Florida, US, on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024.
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Residents line up for propane at a U-Haul location ahead of Hurricane Milton’s expected landfall in St. Petersburg, Florida, US, on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024.
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Shelves at a grocery store are empty of bottled water as Hurricane Milton churns in the Gulf of Mexico on October 07, 2024 in St. Petersburg, Florida. Milton, which comes on heels of the destructive Hurricane Helene, has strengthened to a Category 5 storm as it approaches Florida’s Gulf Coast near St. Petersburg and Tampa, where it is projected to make landfall Wednesday. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
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A sign alerts customers that a store will be closed as Hurricane Milton churns in the Gulf of Mexico on October 07, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. Milton, which comes on heels of the destructive Hurricane Helene, has strengthened to a Category 5 storm as it approaches Florida’s Gulf Coast near Tampa, where it is projected to make landfall Wednesday. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
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Marie O’Neil looks at her smart phone in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on October 1, 2024 in Bat Cave, North Carolina.
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Debris from Hurricane Helene lines a street in the Redington Beach section of St. Petersburg, Florida, on October 8, 2024, ahead of Hurricane Milton’s expected landfall. Milton regained power on October 8 to become a Category 5 storm with maximum sustained winds of 165 mph (270 kph) as it barrels towards west-central coast of Florida and is forecast to make landfall late October 9, according to the National Hurricane Center. (Photo by Bryan R. SMITH / AFP) (Photo by BRYAN R. SMITH/AFP via Getty Images)
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TAMPA, FLORIDA – OCTOBER 08: The old town of Ybor City in Tampa stands mostly empty as the state prepares for the arrival of Hurricane Milton on October 08, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. Milton, which comes just after the recent catastrophic Hurricane Helene, has strengthened to a Category 4 storm as it approaches Florida’s Gulf Coast and is expected to make landfall late Wednesday. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
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FORT MYERS, FLORIDA – OCTOBER 08: Empty shelves are seen in the drinks aisle of a store as people prepare before Hurricane Milton’s arrival on October 08, 2024 in Fort Myers, Florida. People are preparing for the storm, which could be a Cat 3 when it makes landfall on Wednesday evening. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
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ORLANDO, FLORIDA – OCTOBER 8: Businesses are boarded up in preparation for Hurricane Milton on October 8, 2024 in Orlando, Florida. Milton, which came just after the recent catastrophic hurricane Helene, has strengthened to a Category 5 storm as it approaches Florida’s central Gulf Coast and is expected to make landfall midweek. (Photo by Saul Martinez/Getty Images)
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Cloudy skies ahead of Hurricane Milton’s expected landfall in Tampa, Florida, US, on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024. Hurricane Milton is building up a potentially disastrous storm surge as it churns toward Florida’s west coast, where flooding and high winds are expected to inflict widespread damage and put lives at risk. Photographer: Tristan Wheelock/Bloomberg via Getty Images
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Flood barriers in front of Tampa General Hospital ahead Hurricane Milton’s expected landfall in Tampa, Florida, US, on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024. Hurricane Milton is building up a potentially disastrous storm surge as it churns toward Florida’s west coast, where flooding and high winds are expected to inflict widespread damage and put lives at risk. Photographer: Tristan Wheelock/Bloomberg via Getty Images
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Duke Energy project manager Tiger Yates (at middle in bottom of photo) walks among the hundreds of lineman trucks staged at The Villages, Florida, on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024. Thousands of trucks will be staged and deployed after Hurricane Milton hits Florida.(Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
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People walk past boarded up storefronts in Tampa ahead of Hurricane Milton’s expected landfall in the middle of this week on October 8, 2024 in Florida. Hurricane Milton exploded in strength October 7 to become a potentially catastrophic Category 5 storm bound for Florida, threatening the US state with a second ferocious hurricane in as many weeks. (Photo by Bryan R. SMITH / AFP) (Photo by BRYAN R. SMITH/AFP via Getty Images)
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Municipal workers carry sandbags to ward off flooding ahead of Hurricane Milton in Miami, Florida, US, on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024. Hurricane Milton is building up a potentially disastrous storm surge as it churns toward Floridas west coast, where flooding and high winds are expected to inflict widespread damage and put lives at risk. Photographer: Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty Images
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Shelters have started opening and the state has partnered with Uber to provide residents with free rides to and from shelters for those trying to escape Milton’s eventual wrath. To the north, Atlanta Motor Speedway said it was opening its campgrounds free of charge to evacuated Florida residents.
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On Tuesday, the first evacuations were ordered on Florida’s east coast in St. John’s County, including St. Augustine Beach. The county will experience a storm surge from the backside of Milton as it barrels across the state.
Devastating winds to tear across the heart of the state
Aside from the life-threatening storm surge, Milton is forecast to bring wind speeds well over 100 mph around the eyewall where the hurricane makes landfall. That includes the Tampa area, which has potential wind gusts over 95 mph or more at landfall.
Milton Wind Threat
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But even after landfall, damaging winds are expected to track across the central Florida Peninsula. Milton is forecast to maintain hurricane strength even through its trek along the Atlantic coast, with Hurricane Warnings covering 11 million including the Orlando area and along the east coast from the St. Lucie/Martin County Line northward to Ponte Vedra Beach.
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Storm surge will also be felt along the Atlantic coast of Florida from the Space Coast to the First Coast. This includes cities such as Daytona Beach, St. Augustine and Jacksonville Beach.
Rainfall totals will reach 8-12 inches along Milton’s path with isolated totals reaching 18 inches. And Milton will present a threat of scattered tornadoes even ahead of landfall.
There is an increased risk of tornadoes ahead of Milton’s landfall on Wednesday. FOX Weather Meteorologist Ian Oliver has the forecast.
Schools, airports, theme parks close
As Floridians hunker down to ride out the storm, widespread closures of businesses, schools and travel hubs are common.
Tampa International Airport (TPA) suspended operations on Tuesday morning, while Orlando International Airport (MCO), Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) in Sanford, Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in Fort Myers, and Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB) in Melbourne will close to commercial flights starting on Wednesday.
Schools and universities across much of the state shuttered classes through at least Thursday. Disney Parks, Universal Studios, and SeaWorld are among the theme parks announcing they will close for Milton.
Kennedy Space Center’s visitor complex is closed through Thursday.
Race against the clock
FOX Weather Storm Specialist Mike Seidel is in Madeira Beach, Florida which suffered severe damage during Hurricane Helene and now dozens of dump trucks and bulldozers are racing to clear the debris before Hurricane Milton’s ferocious winds arrive Wednesday.
Along central Florida’s western beaches, scars still linger from Hurricane Helene which less than two weeks ago slammed the region as a Category 3 storm with feet of storm surge and hurricane-force winds on its way to the Big Bend area.
Piles of debris line sidewalks as reminders of the first hurricane’s destruction, now threatening to become airborne missiles in triple-digit winds or powerful debris floating atop an even higher storm surge.
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Tuesday, an army of dump trucks and bulldozers rolled into neighborhoods to try and scrape as much of the piles of debris as possible, but the task is daunting.
“Literally hundreds of blocks that have been decimated,” FOX Weather Storm Specialist Mike Seidel reported from Madeira Beach in Pinellas County, Florida. “They’ve done about a block (of cleanup)… in about 45 minutes to an hour or so. There’s blocks and blocks of this, and we’re running out of time before the weather goes downhill later (Wednesday), certainly (Wednesday) night.”
Seidel estimated that the city would need another two weeks to clear all the mountains of debris. “But we don’t have that. We don’t have that luxury,” he said. “Just back to back here from Helene into Milton here in Pinellas County.”