The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has announced that Hurricane Milton has weakened to a Category 3 storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale but remains a strong hurricane.
ABC News recently reported that Hurricane Milton made landfall on the western coast of Florida at 8:30 PM on October 9 (local time, which is 7:30 AM on October 10 in Vietnam) as a Category 3 storm with winds of 193 km/h.
Earlier forecasts indicated that Hurricane Milton would make landfall as a Category 4 hurricane.
Although the storm has weakened to a Category 3, it is increasing in size and is still considered a “extremely dangerous major hurricane,” according to Reuters.
The NHC reported that as of 5 PM on October 9 (local time), Hurricane Milton was nearing Florida, only 275 km southwest of Orlando, with winds near the center of the storm reaching 195 km/h.
The NHC forecasts that “there may be fluctuations in intensity as Milton moves across the eastern Gulf of Mexico, but it is expected to be a dangerous major hurricane as it approaches the central-west Florida coast.”
Rain and wind in Bradenton, Florida, on October 9. (Photo: CNN)
Waves crashing on the Tampa coast, Florida, on October 9. (Photo: CNN)
Bringing heavy rain and strong winds throughout the region, Hurricane Milton has also triggered a series of “supercells”—known as “monsters of the sky” (a type of severe thunderstorm with a very complex structure capable of producing tornadoes) sweeping across southern Florida.
The National Weather Service in Miami observed at least four tornadoes, including a “multi-vortex tornado,” early in the afternoon as meteorologists reported storm surge began flooding along the southwestern Florida coast.
Consequently, alongside previous storm and flood warnings issued for many locations, authorities have also issued tornado warnings in several cities.
A house in Fort Myers, Florida, devastated by tornadoes caused by Hurricane Milton. (Photo: Reuters).
Storm warnings are in effect for the western coast of Florida from Bonita Beach north to the Suwannee River, including Tampa Bay, and the eastern coast of the state, from the St. Lucie-Martin county line north to Ponte Vedra Beach.
The threat of storm surge is a major concern for the western coast of Florida. In addition to storm warnings, storm surge warnings are in effect from Flamingo north to Yankeetown, including Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay. Additionally, storm surge warnings are also in effect for the eastern coast of Florida.
A security camera captured the moment a tornado passed through a house in Fort Myers, Florida. (Video: X).
Footage of the tornado hitting Wellington, Florida, before Hurricane Milton arrived. (Video: X).
Waves are also rising in southwestern Florida. Some areas are forecasted to experience waves higher than 3 meters on the night of October 9. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts that there will be a wave exceeding 8.5 meters near the storm’s center.
Hurricane Milton could cause sea levels to rise between 2.7 to 4 meters in many areas and produce rainfall from 150 to 300 mm. In some locations, rainfall may reach up to 450 mm.
Hurricane Milton is expected to maintain its intensity as it moves across the Florida peninsula and threatens other states along the eastern U.S. coast.
While Hurricane Milton approaches Florida, forecasters are also concerned about the potential formation of a new storm in the Atlantic. According to the National Hurricane Center, they are monitoring three other systems in the Atlantic that could develop into a new storm within the next 48 hours.
