Hurricane Milton is approaching Florida. “If you decide to stay, you will die” [Aktualizacja]

Milton has weakened slightly and is now a Category 4 hurricane on the five-point Saffir-Simpson scale. The accompanying wind blows at a speed of 250 kilometers per hour. Mass evacuations are underway in Florida, where the disaster is expected to reach on the night from Wednesday to Thursday.

On Monday, Milton became the highest category hurricane on the five-point Saffir-Simpson scale. The wind speed exceeded 280 kilometers per hour. This is attributed to the unusually warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

On Tuesday, the element weakened to a category four hurricane, and the accompanying winds reached a speed of 250 km/h. At approximately 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, it was located 840 kilometers southwest of Tampa, Florida. The hurricane is very close to becoming a fifth, highest category hurricane again, and according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), this may happen.

When will it hit land?

Milton is expected to hit the US coast as a Category 3 element on Wednesday night into Thursday local time. It will be Thursday morning in Poland then.

Evacuations in the USA due to the arrival of the hurricanePAP/EPA/ERIK S. LESSER

Hurricane Milton observed by space astronaut Matthew Dominick/NASA/ENEX

“One of Florida’s worst storms in 100 years”

Due to Milton’s arrival, US President Joe Biden canceled his planned visits to Germany and Angola in the near future.

“Given the expected trajectory and strength of Hurricane Milton, President Biden has postponed his upcoming trip to Germany and Angola to oversee preparations for, as well as the response to, the impact of Hurricane Helene in the Southeast,” Jean-Pierre said in a statement. She did not provide a new travel date.

Biden himself later said during a short appearance at the White House that he would try to make the planned trips at a later date and would hold a telephone conversation on this topic with the German Chancellor on Tuesday. However, he noted that he cannot be out of the country and that the upcoming Hurricane Milton “could be one of the worst storms in Florida in 100 years.”

Eye of Hurricane Milton – satellite images from October 7, 2024CIRA/NIAMB

“It really increases the risk.”

As NHC Director Michael Brennan said, Floridians should not “give up” as Milton is expected to weaken during its trek through the state. The element is expected to double in size in less than two days.

– In some ways it will be even worse. [Huragan – red.] it will impact more people,” Brennan said. – Storm surge, wind and heavy rain will occur over an even larger area than in the case of a smaller, perhaps even more intense storm. This really increases the risk, he added.

Brennan warned of a “vast area” of damage and “effects” that would be felt for several days. This includes: o power outage, wind damage, fallen trees. In addition to the storm surge, extreme rainfall is forecast.

Forecast path of Hurricane MiltonNHC

Destructive floods and high waves

Forecasters are warning of a possible storm surge with wave heights of 8 to 10 feet in Tampa Bay. National Hurricane Center spokeswoman Maria Torres noted that this was the highest level ever forecast for the region. It is twice the level reached two weeks ago by Hurricane Helene, which caused significant material damage and led to the death of over 230 people.

Milton may also bring widespread flooding. Inland Florida and the Keys are expected to receive 130 to 250 liters of rain per square meter, with as much as 380 liters per square meter in some places.

Milton in NOAA/NHC satellite images

On Monday evening, the effects of the passing hurricane in the form of intense rain and strong winds were felt in the area of ​​Cancun, Mexico.

Effects of Hurricane Milton passing near Cancun, MexicoINSTAGRAM@ALEXCAVAZOSR/REUTERS

Evacuation order

Authorities in many Florida counties are urging residents to evacuate. In Manatee County, Florida, an expanded evacuation zone has been announced due to the arrival of Hurricane Milton.

– Evacuate. Don’t wait, do it now. “We take Milton very seriously,” said Matt Myers, Manatee County emergency management chief.

“The water has nowhere to go. It will be a disaster.”

Hillsborough County, where Tampa is located, has issued a mandatory evacuation order. The city’s mayor, Jane Castor, issued a stark warning Monday to residents who chose to stay in evacuation zones as Hurricane Milton approaches Florida’s west coast.

The damage to Milton is expected to be “catastrophic,” Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister said. This area is already heavily saturated with water, and the systems draining excess water are overloaded.

– The water has nowhere to go. It will be a disaster, Chronister said.

Residents have until Wednesday morning to leave the city.

“I can say without any dramatization: if you choose to stay in one of these areas, you will die,” Castor said Monday. – The Milton situation is serious. If you want to challenge Mother Nature, she wins 100 percent of the time, she added.

The population of the Tampa metropolitan area is over 3.3 million. – It’s a huge population. She is very exposed, very inexperienced. “I think it will be the city we should be most concerned about,” AP quotes Massachusetts Institute of Technology meteorology professor Kerry Emanuel.

Florida prepares for Hurricane Milton Reuters

photo-source">Main image credit: ERIK S. LESSER/EPA/PAP/NHC/NOAA