Tracking Milton: Florida braces for major hurricane impact
by A.J. Mastrangelo, Storm Team 10
9:00 AM UPDATE: Milton has undergone rapid intensification this morning and is now a potent category 4 hurricane packing 150 MPH winds. The track and intensity forecast from the NHC has not changed, but some guidance suggests Milton may become a category 5 storm over the open waters of the Gulf.
A state of emergency has been declared for much of the Sunshine State and we are now seeing mandatory evacuations for coastal communities as well.
Update 9:20 a.m. Oct. 7: An evacuation order is in place for Levels A and B, manufactured communities or a mobile or boat home. Those living in level C should be prepared to evacuate if the storm intensifies. pic.twitter.com/TxV8eAmgEd
— Sarasota County Government (@SRQCountyGov) October 7, 2024
7:00 AM UPDATE: Hurricane Milton has officially became a category 3 major hurricane. Life threatening conditions are forecasted for parts of Florida through midweek.
On the heels of Helene, the West Coast of Florida is bracing for another round of significant impacts. Hurricane Milton became a category 2 storm early this morning, and is expected to become a major hurricane today.
Storm Team 10 meteorologist A.J. Mastrangelo has the latest this morning.
Hurricane watches have been posted for a large swath of western Florida where wind and storm surge impacts are expected to be the greatest.
The National Hurricane Center‘s latest forecast depicts Milton making landfall as a category 3 storm late Wednesday night near Sarasota. While the storm is expected to become a category 4 over the open Gulf, dry air may lead to some weakening prior to landfall. Forecasters urge residents to stay updated, as changes in forecasted track and intensity may change.
Despite not seeing the worst of the wind, parts of western Florida (including the immediate Tampa area) saw record breaking storm surge from Hurricane Helene. With still some uncertainty on the storms eventual landfall location, the National Hurricane Center has outlined an expansive 8-12 ft. storm surge forecast. While water level rise of this magnitude should only be expected on the right side of the storm, residents are asked to prepare for the worst given potential track shifts.
10/7 4am CDT: There is an increasing risk of life-threatening storm surge from #Milton for portions of the west coast of the Florida Peninsula beginning Tuesday night or early Wednesday. Residents should follow any advice given by local officials and evacuate if told to do so. pic.twitter.com/ZsO9endBMG
— NHC Storm Surge (@NHC_Surge) October 7, 2024
Thankfully we are not expecting to see the magnitude of rainfall as we did with Helene, but rainfall totals 5-10″+ are still expected to lead to instances of freshwater flooding. As is the case with all tropical systems, quick spin up tornadoes will be possible along the right side (dirty side) of the storm.