Hurricane Milton poses an “extremely serious threat” to Florida as it heads towards the state, National Hurricane Center experts said in an Oct. 8 morning bulletin.
Milton strengthened on Monday to a Category 5 hurricane, the highest level on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, before weakening back to a Category 4. Category 5 hurricanes produce winds of at least 157 miles per hour and are guaranteed to cause catastrophic damage, according to the center. By Tuesday morning, Milton’s maximum winds were near 155 miles per hour.
“While fluctuations in intensity are expected, Milton is forecast to remain an extremely dangerous hurricane through landfall in Florida,” the center added.
The hurricane is expected to turn northeast later on Tuesday and remains on track to make landfall in Florida by Wednesday evening.
The storm is located about 560 miles southwest of Tampa and 85 miles from Progreso, Mexico.
Kevin Guthrie, executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said he was encouraged by how many people are evacuating ahead of the storm.
“This is actually a good sign, that people are starting to get out of harm’s way,” he said during the Oct. 7 briefing.
The National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane watch for Rio Lagartos to Cabo Catoche, from Campeche to Celestun, for Dry Tortugas and Lake Okeechobee, from Chokoloskee to Bonita Beach, and from the St. Lucie/Indian River County line to the mouth of the St. Marys River. A hurricane watch means hurricane conditions are possible within these areas.
Experts have also issued a storm surge warning for Flamingo to the Suwannee River, which includes Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay. A storm surge warning means there is danger from life-threatening inundation.
Tampa Bay has not been hit directly by a major hurricane since 1921.
“This is the real deal here with Milton,” Tampa Mayor Jane Castor told a separate press conference. “If you want to take on Mother Nature, she wins 100 percent of the time.”
The Tampa Bay area is still rebounding from Hurricane Helene and its powerful surge—a wall of water up to 8 feet it created even though its eye was 100 miles offshore. Twelve people died there, with the worst damage along a string of barrier islands from St. Petersburg to Clearwater.
Milton could bring storm surges of up to 12 feet, according to the National Hurricane Center.
A steady stream of vehicles headed north toward the Florida Panhandle on Interstate 75, the main highway on the west side of the peninsula, as residents heeded evacuation orders. Traffic clogged the southbound lanes of the highway for miles as other residents headed for the relative safety of Fort Lauderdale and Miami on the other side of the state.
About 150 miles (south of Tampa, Fort Myers Beach was nearly a ghost town by Monday afternoon as an evacuation order took effect. Hurricane Ian devastated the 5,000-resident community two years ago, its 15-foot storm surge destroying or severely damaging 400 homes and businesses. Fourteen people died there as they tried to ride out the storm, and dozens had to be rescued.
On Monday, the few residents who could be found were racing against the clock to safeguard their buildings and belongings. None said they were staying.
Workers in Florida have been preparing for Milton by removing debris from previous storms, pre-staging for rescue missions, and ensuring generators are ready to kick in.
The White House said President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have been in touch with DeSantis and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor to learn firsthand about the preparations.
