Tampa/Orlando (USA) – The hurricane season in Florida is showing its power: After storm “Helene” hit the US state around a week and a half ago, killing at least 225 people, the next hurricane is already approaching.
And according to experts, it will crash onto the mainland even more violently!
Hurricane “Milton” is heading towards Florida and is already raging in the Gulf of Mexico. It is expected to reach the US mainland on Wednesday
Mayor: “If you stay, you will die”
“I can say without any dramatization: If you choose to stay in one of the evacuation areas, you will die,” Tampa Mayor Jane Castor told CNN. For large parts of Florida (USA) a state of emergency was declared and towns near the coast are being evacuated.
Here, residents are fleeing the impending hurricane in their cars along the highway near Tampa
Foto: Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office via X/via REUTERS
This is what’s coming to Florida
Hurricane Milton formed in the Gulf of Mexico and is currently heading toward the US mainland. National Hurricane Center experts classified it as a Category 5 hurricane on Monday. The storm is generating wind speeds of more than 250 kilometers per hour. Waves up to five meters high would be possible. On Tuesday, “Milton” was downgraded again; However, experts assume that the strength will continue to change. The warning level could therefore rise again.
The Tropicana Field baseball stadium is being prepared as an emergency shelter with cots
Photo: Octavio Jones/REUTERS
Die WetterExperts expect Hurricane Milton to hit Florida around 7 a.m. local time on Wednesday. It is currently expected that the storm will weaken somewhat before making landfall.
But: The storm continues to pose an “extremely serious threat to Florida,” said the hurricane center. High tidal waves and extremely strong winds are expected.
The storm is still raging off Mexico on Tuesday. He is scheduled to reach Florida on Wednesday. It is not expected to weaken until it reaches the east coast of the USA
Foto: National Hurricane Center
The cities of Tampa and St. Petersburg are expected to be affected first. The mega-hurricane is then expected to make its way towards the east coast of the USA. The popular tourist paradise of Orlando could also be affected.
This is what makes hurricanes so dangerous
People in Florida are used to hurricanes: hurricanes occur there regularly between June and November. But “Milton” is special. This was shown on local television on Monday. Weather expert NBC 6 South Florida’s John Morales broke down in tearsas he described the impact of “Milton.”
How could the hurricane become so violent so quickly?
“The sea here is just so incredibly, incredibly warm,” he says. He cited climate change as the reason for the record temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico (30 degrees). The hot water is fuel for hurricanes.
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The eye of the storm is particularly striking. “Milton” has a so-called pinhole eye. At just around 3 miles (about 5 km) wide, it is tiny. Smaller eyes have historically been a sign that the storm is becoming extremely intense. They offer less space for the wind to lose energy. Hurricane Wilma had the smallest eye ever recorded. It was only about 2.5 miles wide.
The storm hit Florida during the devastating 2005 season, when Hurricane Katrina also devastated the country. It left millions of people without power and caused around $28.9 billion in damage.
Empty supermarket shelves in St. Petersburg, Florida. The residents have stocked up on mineral water
Foto: SPENCER PLATT/Getty Images via AFP
Warning for tourists
The US state of Florida is very popular with tourists, including from Germany. The city of Orlando is one of the most visited places in the United States, with more than 60 million visitors per year. There are popular theme parks such as Walt Disney World and Universal Studios.
Volunteers fill sandbags in Miami
Photo: GIORGIO VIERA/AFP
Tourists have to prepare for severe restrictions. The ADAC recommends that tourists on site follow the instructions of the authorities and follow evacuation requests. Air traffic in Tampa was suspended on Tuesday. Orlando’s airport is also scheduled to close on Wednesday.
If you are about to travel to Florida, you should contact your tour operator or airline, recommends the ADAC. Many flight routes cannot currently be offered due to the local situation. There is also the legal possibility of canceling a trip if the holiday destination is directly affected by a massive natural disaster.
Store employees clear the store to keep the goods safe from the storm
Photo: AP
The Dutch airline KLM, for example, is currently offering to postpone the flight or receive a refund.
