He Hurricane Milton has intensified in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico and after reaching category 5 again, approaches the west coast of Floridawhere thousands of people have already evacuated, is expected to impact this Wednesday night, as reported by the United States National Hurricane Center (NHC).
“Florida residents “they must prepare” in their homes and evacuateif so indicated by local authorities, the NHC warned, given the increase in size of the “extremely dangerous” Hurricane Milton as it approaches Florida.
The system is located about 300 miles (485 kilometers) southwest of Tampaon the central west coast of Florida, with winds that maintain a sustained speed of 260 kilometers per hour, as reported by the NHC.
In the last few hours it had maintained an erratic trajectory, approaching and moving away from the Yucatan Peninsula, and for a few hours it dropped to category 4, to increase in intensity again in the afternoon, before heading towards the coast of Florida.
A surge of more than four meters is expected
According to the trajectory predicted by the NHC, the center of Milton will move this Wednesday and Thursday through the east of the gulf of mexico and “will make landfall along Florida’s west-central coast on Wednesday night,” before crossing the peninsula and out into the Atlantic.
Although fluctuations in intensity are expected, it is forecast to remain a “dangerous major hurricane when it lands on the central west coast” and exits this Thursday into Atlantic waters, they have warned.
It is very worrying storm surge that Milton can cause in Tampa Bay, between 10 and 15 feet high (3 to 4.5 meters). Tropical storm force winds could reach the Tampa Bay area this Wednesday morning.
“Devastating winds” are also expected along parts of Florida’s west coast, where a hurricane warning is in effect. The forecast from NHC meteorologists is that Milton “will remain a hurricane as it crosses the Florida peninsula.”
In addition, they have insisted on highlighting the importance that “preparations to protect life and property” must be completed no later than tonight, in addition to being ready for “long-term power outages.”
Risk of “flash and urban flooding”
Las heavy rain that Milton will dump across the Florida peninsula through Thursday will carry “the risk of catastrophic flash and urban flooding,” especially in areas where coastal and inland flooding combine.
The President of the United States, Joe Biden, warned this Tuesday that Hurricane Milton could be the “worst” to hit the state of Florida in a century and asked people in the path of the storm to evacuate as soon as possible. .
For his part, the governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, warned this Tuesday in a press conference that the residents have a short amount of time left to execute their evacuation plans, before Hurricane Milton makes landfall likely this Wednesday night. “You should be executing your plan now. If you are going to leave, leave now,” DeSantis urged the population residing in the areas most exposed to Milton’s onslaught.
Florida, still trying to recover from the damage from Helene, continues to prepare for the largest evacuation since 2017 due to the threat of Milton, which will cross almost the entire state from west to east.
Milton moves away from the coasts of the Mexican Caribbean without leaving victims
The hurricane moved away this Tuesday from coasts of the southern Mexican state of Quintana Roowithout registering fatalities or injuries in the main tourist destinations of the Mexican Caribbean. The governor of Quintana Roo, Mara Lezama, raised the alerts due to the passage of the hurricane, during the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the state.
“Our state is out of major danger with the departure of Hurricane Milton from our coasts,” said Lezama.
The authorities of Quintana Roo asked the population to remain alert, as heavy rains could still occur.
The Secretary of Tourism of Quintana Roo, Bernardo Cueto Riestra, pointed out that they remain in constant communication with hoteliers and local authorities to guarantee the safety of the almost 300,000 visitors who are currently in the destinations of the Mexican Caribbean, especially in the area. north.
