Category 5 Storm Milton Poised to Strike Florida Following Devastating Helene
Milton quickly intensified into a Category 5 hurricane on Monday while in the Gulf of Mexico, heading towards the U.S. state of Florida.
TroibNews 
Milton rapidly intensified into a Category 5 hurricane on Monday while in the Gulf of Mexico, moving toward Florida and threatening dangerous storm surges in Tampa Bay. This situation has led to evacuation orders and long lines at gas stations.
The hurricane's arrival adds urgency to the recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene, which affected the same coastal areas less than two weeks earlier.
Jamie Rhome, deputy director of the U.S. National Hurricane Center, informed the public during a Monday press briefing that Hurricane Milton is expected to generate maximum winds reaching approximately 233 kilometers per hour when it makes landfall on Wednesday, along with a potential storm surge of about 4.6 meters.
Forecasts suggest that Milton will weaken to a Category 3 storm as it approaches Florida's west coast on Wednesday evening. After making landfall, the hurricane is projected to move across Florida, passing through significant cities such as Tampa and Orlando overnight into Thursday.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned residents against assuming that the storm will lose strength, emphasizing that Milton will still bring considerable destruction.
Hurricane and storm surge warnings have been distributed via email to residents in Pinellas, Manatee, Pasco, Charlotte, Citrus, and Hillsborough counties.
The warnings indicated that Milton's effects could be "devastating to catastrophic," pointing out that even resilient structures might experience complete roof and wall failures, leaving some areas "uninhabitable for weeks or months."
Residents have been encouraged to consult checklists provided by local or state emergency management departments to prepare effectively.
Emily Johnson contributed to this report for TROIB News
The hurricane's arrival adds urgency to the recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene, which affected the same coastal areas less than two weeks earlier.
Jamie Rhome, deputy director of the U.S. National Hurricane Center, informed the public during a Monday press briefing that Hurricane Milton is expected to generate maximum winds reaching approximately 233 kilometers per hour when it makes landfall on Wednesday, along with a potential storm surge of about 4.6 meters.
Forecasts suggest that Milton will weaken to a Category 3 storm as it approaches Florida's west coast on Wednesday evening. After making landfall, the hurricane is projected to move across Florida, passing through significant cities such as Tampa and Orlando overnight into Thursday.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned residents against assuming that the storm will lose strength, emphasizing that Milton will still bring considerable destruction.
Hurricane and storm surge warnings have been distributed via email to residents in Pinellas, Manatee, Pasco, Charlotte, Citrus, and Hillsborough counties.
The warnings indicated that Milton's effects could be "devastating to catastrophic," pointing out that even resilient structures might experience complete roof and wall failures, leaving some areas "uninhabitable for weeks or months."
Residents have been encouraged to consult checklists provided by local or state emergency management departments to prepare effectively.
Emily Johnson contributed to this report for TROIB News
