Milton downgraded to Category 4 hurricane ahead of landfall

(NewsNation) — Hurricane Milton was downgraded to a Category 4 storm Tuesday but still remains on track to be the worst storm to hit the Tampa Bay area in over a century, the National Weather Service in Tampa Bay said.

The region has become home to more than 3 million people and is one of the most vulnerable metropolitan areas in the U.S. to storm surge.

“Hurricane Milton is still a major hurricane,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at an early morning press conference Tuesday.

DeSantis warned Floridians that the hurricane could “wobble,” meaning it could hit at any point whether it is north of Tampa, Tampa or south of Tampa.

“Wherever it makes landfall, there’s going to be impacts far beyond what the cone actually shows,” DeSantis warned.

Milton was downgraded early Tuesday, but forecasters said it still posed “an extremely serious threat to Florida.” Milton had intensified quickly Monday, becoming a Category 5 storm at midday with maximum sustained winds of 180 mph before being downgraded.

Almost the entirety of Florida’s west coast was under a hurricane warning early Tuesday as the storm and its 155 mph winds crept toward the state at 12 mph, sucking energy from the Gulf of Mexico’s warm water. The strongest Atlantic hurricane on record is 1980’s Allen, which reached wind speeds of 190 mph as it moved through the Caribbean and Gulf before striking Texas and Mexico.

Milton’s center could come ashore Wednesday in the Tampa Bay region, which has not endured a direct hit by a major hurricane in more than a century. Scientists expect the system to weaken slightly before landfall, though it could retain hurricane strength as it churns across central Florida toward the Atlantic Ocean. That would largely spare other states ravaged by Helene, which killed at least 230 people on its path from Florida to the Appalachian Mountains.

“Now is the time to execute your plan,” DeSantis said. He said that “time is running out” for residents to finalize their emergency plans ahead of Hurricane Milton’s landfall.

Tracking Milton in Helene’s wake

Milton had rapidly strengthened into a Category 5 hurricane Monday and is forecast to be the worst storm to hit the Tampa Bay area in 100 years with maximum sustained winds of 180 mph. Forecasters warn the area could see a storm surge up to 12 feet, prompting evacuations.

The hurricane reached an incredibly low-pressure Monday night, which generally correlates with a storm’s strength. The lower a system’s pressure, the stronger the hurricane.

As of Monday afternoon, there were already traffic backups of people attempting to leave the Tampa area, leading authorities to institute emergency shoulder use, allowing vehicles to travel on the inside shoulder of the road.

Northbound traffic on Interstate 75 was bumper to bumper for miles, moving at roughly 6 mph as Floridians and tourists alike tried to flee the state Monday.

Flights out of Florida will stop Tuesday, with Tampa International Airport grounding trips at 9 a.m. and St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport closing after the last flight that day.

The hurricane went from Category 1 to Category 5 in less than 24 hours, becoming only the second Category 5 hurricane to form in the Gulf of Mexico since 1966.

Forecast models currently show Milton making landfall Wednesday and remaining at hurricane strength as it moves across Florida toward the Atlantic Ocean. The current track would avoid other states affected by Helene.

Preparing for Hurricane Milton

President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration for South Florida to allow federal resources to assist state and local efforts.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis urged residents to execute preparedness plans, noting there was still time to get ready, but that any preparations have to be done quickly. He also detailed efforts being made to protect critical infrastructure such as water treatment plants, and he urged people to stock up on fuel ahead of the storm.

In a Monday briefing with reporters, DeSantis called the hurricane “ferocious” and emphasized the system’s rapid strengthening.

“At the strength it is now, this is a really, really strong storm. The effects of that, not just from the storm surge but from wind damage and debris, will be really, really significant,” DeSantis said. “This is not a storm you want to take a risk on.”

DeSantis also announced that 30,000 linemen were headed to Florida from all over the country to assist with cleanup and repairs after the storm.

Less than an hour later, the U.S. National Hurricane Center issued storm surge warnings and hurricane warnings for almost all of Florida’s west coast.

The hurricane center also issued storm surge watches on the U.S. East Coast, including much of Florida up to parts of South Carolina.

“If you are in an evacuation area, I beg you, I implore you to leave,” said Florida Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie. “Drowning deaths from storm surges are 100% preventable if you leave.”

Residents have been urged to resupply disaster kits that may have been depleted during Helene, and officials urged those with special needs on Monday to sign up for the state registry as soon as possible.

The governor said the state could expect several evacuation orders to be issued ahead of landfall, and that shelters would be open after evacuation orders were given. Officials also urged those with the means to do so to get on the road as soon as possible and to consider hotels in areas less likely to be hard hit, especially people who are reliant on power for medical devices.

DeSantis noted that people do not have to evacuate hundreds of miles and that those on barrier islands and in low-lying areas may be able to go to a shelter in their own county.

The state is preparing for the largest evacuation since Hurricane Irma in 2017 when 7 million people were told to evacuate. Tolls have been suspended to aid in evacuation efforts and hotels have offered disaster rates, which also include accepting pets regardless of if a hotel is usually pet-friendly.

Ahead of the storm, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced the team would be relocating to the New Orleans area for the week. DeSantis said the state would not be extending the deadline for voter registration because of the storm.

Evacuation orders: Should I stay, or should I go?

Treasure Island is a small beach community in Pinellas County, Florida, hit hard by Hurricane Helene’s storm surge two weeks ago. The storm caused catastrophic damage, leaving behind mounds of sand and debris on sidewalks and front lawns.

Now, the community is in the path of Hurricane Milton, and residents have been urged to evacuate ahead of the storm.

Florida’s goal is to clean up as much of the Helene debris as possible before Milton makes landfall. One of the state’s top fears for Milton is that it will kick back up the debris left behind by Helene and cause further damage to the community.

However, due to the excessive debris, DeSantis has urged residents in vulnerable areas to evacuate now before it’s too late.

As of Tuesday morning, 11 counties along Florida’s west coast were under evacuation orders, and 51 out of the state’s 67 counties were under a state of emergency.

Weather experts forecast the hurricane storm surge will reach anywhere from 8 to 12 feet in some places.

To encourage residents to evacuate ahead of the storm, St. Petersburg’s government said it would likely shut off northeast and southwest sewage plants, meaning 66% of the town would not be able to flush toilets or take showers for at least 24 hours.

St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch warned that if the city takes a direct hit, the rebuilding of electric and water services could take a long time.

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