‘Catastrophic’ Hurricane Milton nears Florida, life-threatening storm surge expected

Hurricane Milton is barreling toward making landfall in Central Florida late Wednesday in what experts say is a “catastrophic” storm that will bring life-threatening rain and wind to the state’s western coast.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has deemed Milton a Category 5 storm, the highest designation. It is expected to make landfall late Wednesday evening or early Thursday morning.

Maximum sustained winds remain near 160 mph, and it is expected to remain “an extremely dangerous major hurricane” as it reaches land.

The NHC predicts rainfall amounts of 6-12 inches, with localized totals of up to 18 inches in parts of Central Florida. The rainfall could bring flash flooding in urban areas and overflow rivers. A few tornadoes could potentially pass over the area as the storm nears.

Originally, forecasters predicted the storm would be a Category 3, but it has intensified over the Gulf of Mexico into what is expected to be the worst storm to hit the Tampa area in more than a century.

Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for much of the state’s west coast. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates orders have been given to about 5.9 million people in the area.

Officials also warned that if residents do not follow the evacuation order, they are risking death. Highways have been packed as people leave town, and the demand for gas has left stations without fuel.

The Tampa area, home to more than 3.3 million people, is expected to experience a storm surge of 10-15 feet. Milton is expected to weaken as it reaches land, but forecasters say it is still going to be a very dangerous storm surge, The Associated Press reported.

President Biden urged residents in the area to follow evacuation orders and listen to warnings. He said Tuesday evacuate the area “now, now, now,” because it is a “matter of life and death.”

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor also told locals that if they stay in the evacuation area, “you’re going to die.”

The latest storm comes as state and local government officials in Florida work to remove piles of debris from Hurricane Helene, fearing that the winds from Milton could pick up loose wreckage and toss it around causing more damage, the AP reported.

Helene hit the Southeastern U.S. late last month, bringing high winds, deadly flooding and power outages. Recovery efforts from the storm, including in critical swing states for November’s election, remain ongoing.