October 7, 2024
A rapidly intensifying Hurricane Milton …
National Hurricane Center Director Dr. Michael Brennan on Hurricane Milton, which is predicted to make landfall Wednesday in Florida bringing “multiple life-threatening hazards” including storm surge and flooding starting Tuesday night.
Why It Matters: Hurricane Milton follows Hurricane Helene – one of the deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history. While Milton has a slightly different path than Helene, forecasters believe it will impact areas already battered by Helene. Evacuation orders exist along the Florida coast. Dr. Brennan expects the size of the storm to grow and effects of the storm to start Tuesday, cautioning people to shelter somewhere safe by Tuesday evening.
How fast is the storm strengthening? Hurricane Milton became a category 1 storm Sunday night; by Monday midday, it had grown in strength to a category 5.
History-making storm: Milton comes less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene, which made landfall in the Big Bend region of Florida before causing devastating rainfall and flooding to the southeastern United States. Milton, already a major hurricane, is making history before it even arrives, as this marks the first time on record to have three active hurricanes in the Atlantic in October.
Read More: Live updates: Hurricane Milton strengthens into a Category 5 as Florida begins evacuations (AP)
Image Credit: CIRA / NOAA
by Stephanie Wagner, based in Florida
