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Milton ‘explodes’ into Category 5 hurricane as Florida braces for 180-mph winds: Live

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What to know about Hurricane Milton

A Florida mayor issued a stark warning that residents will die if they don’t evacuate as Hurricane Milton intensified to a Category 5 on Monday evening.

The potential “once in a lifetime” storm is bearing down on the Gulf of Mexico weakened slightly to Category 4 but it is expected to regain strength and remain “extremely dangerous” as it makes landfall in Florida by Wednesday, hitting the densely populated Tampa Bay area first.

“If you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you’re gonna die,” Tampa mayor Jane Castor said on CNN. Hurricane Helene was a “wake-up call,” but Milton could be “literally catastrophic,” she said.

Pinellas County sheriff Bob Gualtieri warned locals to prepare for the largest evacuation since Hurricane Irma, saying, “This is going to be bad. Everyone just needs to get out.”

Milton is racing towards areas already devastated by Hurricane Helene.

“There are some areas with a lot of debris… if hit by a major hurricane, it’s going to dramatically increase damage,” Florida governor Ron DeSantis warned.

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‘Extremely powerful’ Hurricane Milton poses ‘serious threat’ as it races towards Florida

James Liddell8 October 2024 09:35

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Photos: Tourists evacuate before Hurricane Milton

Authorities evacuate Holbox island tourists before Hurricane Milton lands in Quintana Roo, Mexico,
Authorities evacuate Holbox island tourists before Hurricane Milton lands in Quintana Roo, Mexico, (EPA)
Mexican states of Yucatan and Quintana Roo on alert for the arrival of Hurricane Milton
Mexican states of Yucatan and Quintana Roo on alert for the arrival of Hurricane Milton (EPA)

Stuti Mishra8 October 2024 09:15

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How ocean heat acted as ‘rocket fuel’ for Hurricane Milton

Hurricane Milton went from Category 1 to Category 5 within hours on Monday, shocking even forecasters.

Milton became the fifth most intense Atlantic hurricane on record with winds of 180mph. Even though the storm has weakened slightly, experts worry it can regain its strength.

The rapid intensification of storms has become a norm in recent years as greenhouse gases help trap heat in the atmosphere, creating record-breaking temperatures on land and in oceans, resulting in supercharged storms.

“Hurricane Milton has rapidly intensified at extreme levels over exceptionally warm waters that reach hundreds of feet deep in the Bay of Campeche and Gulf of Mexico,” AccuWeather lead Hurricane expert Alex DaSilva said.

“These deep, warm waters of are acting as ‘rocket fuel’ for the storm, supporting its rapid growth.”

“The ocean heat content is at the highest level on record for this time of year in the Gulf, despite the recent passage of Helene.”

Researchers have found that since 1970s, the number of storms escalating into category 4 or 5 hurricanes has roughly doubled in the North Atlantic.

Stuti Mishra8 October 2024 08:50

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Don’t be misled by category reduction of Hurricane Milton, experts warn

Even if Hurricane Milton weakens in wind intensity by the time it hits Florida’s Gulf Coast, as forecast suggests, experts are warning that this does not mean less danger.

“We do not want people to see a reduction in the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale rating for Milton before landfall and think there will be less danger,” AccuWeather meteorologist Jon Porter said.

“In fact, there’s even more danger because the storm will broaden out and increase in size, with a larger risk of life-threatening storm surge and powerful winds impacting more places and people across Florida.

“We have seen so many preventable tragedies during Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Ian. Even after Helene weakened, it caused significant flooding and damage in the Carolinas, showing that weakened hurricanes can still lead to catastrophic outcomes.”

Stuti Mishra8 October 2024 08:30

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Hurricane Milton downgraded to Category 4 but can regain strength

Hurricane Milton has temporarily weakened to a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 155mph, down from 165mph, according to an update from the National Hurricane Center.

The storm is currently located about 585 miles southwest of Tampa, Florida, moving east at 9mph.

Although Milton has dipped into Category 4 status, experts warn that it is expected to regain Category 5 strength by Tuesday morning local time. The storm is forecast to fluctuate in intensity before making landfall on Wednesday as a Category 3 hurricane near the Tampa Bay area.

Stuti Mishra8 October 2024 08:09

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Hurricane Milton weakens slightly, still a Category 5 threat

Hurricane Milton’s maximum sustained winds have weakened slightly to 165mph, down from 180mph, according to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center.

Despite the slight decrease in intensity, Milton remains a powerful Category 5 storm as it churns roughly 630 miles southwest of Tampa, Florida.

The storm is moving east at 9 mph and is expected to make landfall as a Category 3 hurricane near Tampa late Wednesday.

The slight weakening is attributed to an eyewall replacement cycle, a process in which a larger outer eyewall forms and replaces the inner one, leading to temporary weakening but often expanding the hurricane’s size.

Forecasters caution that Milton’s intensity may fluctuate over the next 24 hours due to this cycle. Without significant wind shear or land interaction, the storm could re-strengthen before reaching land.

Stuti Mishra8 October 2024 07:53

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What is storm surge? Hurricane Milton could bring up to 23ft of it

A storm surge is the abnormal rise of seawater pushed towards the shore by a hurricane’s strong winds. This surge can cause severe flooding and destruction, often being one of the deadliest aspects of a hurricane.

Storm surge and hurricane watches are currently in effect for portions of the west coast of the Florida peninsula.

Forecasters are warning that the surge from Hurricane Milton could reach up to 23 feet in some areas along Florida’s Gulf Coast, potentially submerging homes and infrastructure, and causing catastrophic damage.

“Slight variations in Milton’s track can have major ramifications for the impacts experienced in various parts of Florida,” AccuWeather chief meteorologist Jon Porter said.

“For example, in a scenario which now appears more probable, should an intense Milton track just north of Tampa, storm surges of 23ft could occur in parts of Tampa Bay, resulting in widespread, catastrophic damage not seen in this part of Tampa Bay in modern history,” he said.

Damage from the surge and wind can be compounded for areas flooded by Helene, the forecaster warned, as much of the debris is still in place and will be picked up by flood waters and turned into projectiles by the wind. Some structures weakened by the flooding, or partially damaged by the flooding, from Helene will be more susceptible to the flooding from Milton.

Forecast for storm surge from Hurricane Milton
Forecast for storm surge from Hurricane Milton (AccuWeather)

Stuti Mishra8 October 2024 07:30

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Could Hurricane Milton become a Category 6? Here’s what experts say

Hurricane Milton intensified to Category 5, the highest on the scale, within hours, leaving many wondering if it could reach the hypothetical Category 6 level.

Currently, the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale caps at Category 5, which includes any storm with sustained winds of 157 mph or higher. Milton, with winds of 180 mph, is already in this category.

While Category 6 does not officially exist, some experts argue that the scale could need revisiting as storms become stronger.

In a recent research, climate scientists Michael Wehner and Jim Kossin suggested that storms with winds exceeding 192 mph, which have only been recorded in five storms since 1980, could warrant a new category.

Though the National Hurricane Center hasn’t proposed adding a Category 6, researchers say it’s time to reassess how hurricanes are categorised, especially as warming oceans, like the Gulf of Mexico, supercharge storms to extreme.

Speaking about his study, Dr Wehner said at the time that the aim is “to reconsider how the open-endedness of the Saffir-Simpson Scale can lead to underestimation of risk, and, in particular, how this underestimation becomes increasingly problematic in a warming world.”

“Even under the relatively low global warming targets of the Paris Agreement, which seeks to limit global warming to just 1.5C above preindustrial temperatures by the end of this century, the increased chances of Category 6 storms are substantial in these simulations,” he said.

Stuti Mishra8 October 2024 07:10

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Milton could be one of Florida’s worst hurricanes yet

Hurricane Milton can bring a “worst-case impact for the Tampa Bay area”, warned AccuWeather.

“You do not want to wait for storm surge to start occurring before you take action,” chief meteorologist Jon Porter said.

“We have seen so many preventable tragedies during Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Ian. Please get out of areas at risk of this devastating storm surge while you still can.”

“We are very concerned that Hurricane Milton could become one of the most damaging and costliest storms that Florida has ever seen.”

Map from AccuWeather shows forecast of impact by Hurricane Milton with Tampa region, in maroon, worst hit
Map from AccuWeather shows forecast of impact by Hurricane Milton with Tampa region, in maroon, worst hit (AccuWeather)

Stuti Mishra8 October 2024 06:50

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Video: Lightning strike in Cancun from outer bands of Hurricane Milton

Stuti Mishra8 October 2024 06:30

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