HURRICANE Milton ‘is in the process of making landfall’ in Florida – after locals were told it’s now too late to safely evacuate.
Its eyewall and most intense winds are already coming onshore as the tempest is set to smash Florida and bring with it 160mph wind and 15-foot storm surges.
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Daylight view of Hurricane MiltonCredit: Rex
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Daylight view of Hurricane Milton, downgraded to a Category 3 hurricane with winds of 125 mph,Credit: Alamy
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Tornado leaves a trail of destruction at a house in Fort Myers, Florida
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A man walks down an avenue as Hurricane Milton approachesCredit: Reuters
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Broken utility poles downed by strong windCredit: Reuters
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Tornado spotted in Broward County, FloridaCredit: The Mega Agency
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A woman holds an umbrella while arriving at a shelter as Milton approachesCredit: Reuters
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Millions have been forced to evacuateCredit: National Weather Service Miami-South Florida
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The latest update from the National Hurricane Center warned the deadly storm’s catastrophic march over Florida’s west coast has started.
It said: “The northern eyewall of Hurricane Milton is beginning to move onshore of the Florida gulf coast near Tampa and St. Petersburg where an Extreme Wind Warning is now in effect.
“Please shelter in place as these extremely dangerous hurricane-force winds overspread the region.”
Winds are roaring in the Sarasota area with a 90 mph wind gust recorded at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport at 7.30pm local time.
Entire palm trees also appear to have been ripped from their trunks, according to NBC News.
Naples is currently experiencing significant flooding as a result of Milton’s storm surge, which has raised water levels to 3.7 feet above normally dry terrain, CNN reports.
Floridians will be bracing themselves as Dr. Michael Brennan, director of the US National Hurricane Centre, warned that “a very dangerous situation is going to play out from west to east across the Florida peninsula.”
At 10.45 pm UK time, the hurricane was 60 miles west-southwest of Sarasota, Florida, and moving at 17 mph towards the shore, he explained.
Dr Brennan added that a “life-threatening storm surge is about to play out along the Florida west coast.
Water will also be “violently pushed onto dry land” by the hurricane, up to 10ft above ground level.
Florida evacuates ahead of Hurricane Milton with 155mph storm worst in 100 years as officials warn ‘you will die’
“The water is now starting to rise, winds are picking up, rainfall is occurring and your evacuation routes may be cut off.”
According to the director, both the wind field and the eye of Hurricane Milton have grown in size.
He continued: “Much of the central portion of the peninsula… is at risk of devastating hurricane-force winds, especially in gusts over the inland areas that can cause structural damage, tree damage and widespread power outages.”
Florida Disaster Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie said around 125 homes have already been destroyed in Florida, “most of them mobile homes and senior communities”, the BBC reports.
Giving safety advice, he said: “If you hear trees snapping, there is going to be flying debris.
“You should treat it as a tornado… put heavy blankets and pillows on top of you.”
Guthrie continued, advising people “just understand that means you’re in the eye” of the storm even if conditions appear to be improving.
“It’s going to come back and get really nasty very soon,” he warned.
The time to safely evacuate is over as The National Weather Service issued a statement saying it is now time to shelter-in-place from Milton.
The deadly hurricane hurled tornadoes and rain at the Tampa Bay area on Wednesday.
Urging locals to stay inside and off the roads, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said: “You have to shelter in place and just hunker down.”
“This storm is here,” he continued, repeating the instruction to “hunker down” until the storm has passed.
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A drone view shows a house destroyed by a tornado as Hurricane Milton approachesCredit: Reuters
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A tornado has torn the roof off a home before Hurricane Milton has even arrivedCredit: Getty
As the centre of Hurricane Milton approaches Sarasota, winds on Florida’s west coast continue to intensify, CNN reports.
According to the National Hurricane Centre, a sustained wind of 58 mph and a gust of 77 mph were observed at Tampa Bay’s mouth in the Egmont Channel on Wednesday evening.
And at least 18 confirmed tornadoes hit parts of Florida since the morning, reports claim.
The state also broke its record on Wednesday for the most tornado warnings issued in a single day.
By 4.30 pm, the National Weather Service had issued 111 warnings, breaking the previous record of 69 set on September 10, 2017.
Several of these terrifying warnings were given the category of “particularly dangerous situation.”
The National Hurricane Center previously said it wasn’t certain where Milton’s center would come ashore Wednesday night because the storm’s path could wobble – but Tampa Bay and points south were at grave risk.
The government agency also warned on X that as the hurricane looms, “the time to prepare, including evacuate” is “quickly coming to an end”.
Officials in Florida also reinforced this, with Pasco County warning its residents “this is your last chance” and “after that, you’ll need to find a way to the shelter or be prepared to ride out the storm”.
Emergency management director Cathie Perkins in Pinellas County gravely alerted locals: “This is it, folks.
“Those of you who were punched during Hurricane Helene, this is going to be a knockout. You need to get out, and you need to get out now.”
Those who are refusing to flee Milton have also been told to write their names in permanent ink on their arms.
Florida’s Attorney General has desperately hinted that if residents were to stay, writing their names on their arms would make bodies easier to identify later.
Ashley Moody made the spine-chilling comment in a press conference with Republican Senator Rick Scott on Monday as she addressed residents going against evacuation orders.
Are you in Florida as Hurricane Milton approaches? Get in touch with us to share your stories at [email protected]
She warned that any Floridians who weren’t able to evacuate “probably need to write your name in permanent marker on your arm so that people know who you are when they get to you afterwards.”
Referring to Hurricane Helene’s devastation last week, Moody also added that officials are still “uncovering folks on the beach who thought they could stay there, and the storm surge got them.”
Heavy rain and tornadoes lashed parts of southern Florida starting Wednesday morning, with conditions deteriorating.
Six to 12 inches of rain, with up to 18 inches in some places, was expected well inland – bringing the risk of catastrophic flooding.
President Joe Biden previously gave an update from the White House, saying that despite Milton currently being a Category 3 “no one should be confused as it is still expected to be one of the most destructive hurricanes in Florida in over a century”.
He added: “Milton still carries incredible destructiveness and can wipe out communities and cause loss of life”.
Florida’s National Guard is also said to be prepping the largest search and rescue mobilization in history.
Governor Ron DeSantis said there are 9,000 guardsmen deployed, with one-third who have come from other states, with 26 search and rescue teams in place.
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Hurricane Milton’s skull has emerged in chilling imagesCredit: NOAA
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One of 700 evacuees sheltering in the gymnasium at River Ridge Middle/High School in preparation for MiltonCredit: AP
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Residents are placing plywood over their homes
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Highways were at a standstill as millions of Floridians evacuate their homesCredit: Epa
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Members of the Florida Army National Guard check for remaining residents
He added: “This is the largest Florida National Guard search and rescue mobilization in the entire history of the state of Florida.
“They are currently embedded in the potential impact sites along the west coast to begin immediate rescue operations as soon as the storm passes.”
Officials in St. Petersburg stated that first responder operations are on hold until it is safe for their personnel to return to the field and respond to calls.
An officer stated in a video shared on X: “Safety is our top priority, for you and for our first responders.”
Another officer added: “When it becomes unsafe or life-threatening for our responders, we may have to temporarily suspend services.”
The cops stated that 911 will continue to take calls in the meantime and that their units will respond “as soon as it’s safe”.
Similarly, Sarasota County police reported that at 5:39 p.m. local time, their last patrol car arrived back at headquarters, NBC News reported.
The Sarasota Police Department said on X: “Sustained wind speeds are too strong for emergency services to respond.
“We will now wait out the storm, just like you, and once it passes, we will begin our rescue and recovery process.”
Although Hurricane Milton is still a few hours away from landfall, poweroutage.us reports that over 250,000 people in Florida have already lost power.
Western Florida may see a sharp surge in power outages this evening as hurricane-force winds start to approach onshore.
Up to a million outages might occur in the state, Duke Energy Florida has warned, CNN reports.
That figure might rise if electrical structures are destroyed, the utility company’s spokesperson Logan Stewart said at a news conference Wednesday afternoon.
Authorities have issued mandatory evacuation orders across 15 Florida counties with a total population of about 7.2 million people.
Officials warned that anyone staying behind must fend for themselves as first responders were not expected to risk their lives attempting rescues at the height of the storm.
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Tourists walk along Universal Orlando Resort city walk before the park closed early on Wednesday for the arrival of Hurricane MiltonCredit: AP
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All four of Disney’s Florida theme parks closed early Wednesday due to the forecast track of the stormCredit: AP
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A gas station’s fuel pump is sealed off and covered with plywood as the town prepares for Hurricane Milton in Oyster Bay, SarasotaCredit: EPA
People can call 911 in an emergency, but responders will be delayed until teams are able to safely get back on the roads.
Milton was captured on satellite imagery in the shape of a skull, with some online users taking the image as a bad omen.
Terrifying footage of the eerie face shows the then-Category 4 hurricane as it barrels towards the Florida coastline – ready to ruin anything in its path as millions evacuate to stand a chance of living.
Among Milton’s deadly chaos, storm chasers were captured being battered by extreme turbulence as they flew into the eye of the hurricane.
Scary footage shows scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) being thrown around the flight.
The aircraft, named Miss Piggy, was collecting data on the hurricane heading towards Tampa on Tuesday morning when the footage was captured.
Hurricane Milton has spawned two large tornadoes in Florida just hours before the 155mph storm makes landfall.
Locals have been told their home is a “coffin” as the Category 3 hurricane is set to bring massive wave surges that could completely submerge houses in parts of the state.
The two large tornadoes were filmed crossing Interstate 75 in the Florida Everglades at around 10 a.m. local time – and were seen moving north between the towns of Miles City and Andytown.
Milton is bearing down on the state with 155mph winds as the “storm of the century” is set to make landfall in Florida.
The hurricane is now back down to Category 3 strength after weakening very slightly.
More than three million people are now at risk of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes are possible, the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) warns.
A tornado watch has also been issued for Florida south of Tampa down to the Florida Keys by the National Weather Service.
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Picture of one of the two tornadoes from Hurricane Milton that crossed Interstate 75 in the Florida EvergladesCredit: Twitter
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Traffic cams caught the gridlock as people tried to flee coastal areas in FloridaCredit: FDOT
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An AquaFence flood wall is put into place around Tampa General HospitalCredit: AFP
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Milton can be seen from the International Space StationCredit: Rex
It says tornadoes are “likely”, hail up to half an inch in size is possible, and gusts of 70mph are likely until 9 pm tonight.
That could expose 12 million in major cities like Miami to extreme conditions.
Its thought conditions will only worsen after that.
Milton is set to hit just south of Tampa leading authorities in the city to put up flood barriers.
Tampa General Hospital, which sits directly on the city’s waterfront, is set to stay open and is erecting an AquaFence to try and withstand a surge.
The fence successfully protected the facility from Hurricane Helene’s floodwaters about two weeks ago.
The hospital has an on-site energy plant, a five-day stockpile of food, and staff trained in emergency management to ride out the tempest.
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor warned the city’s almost 400,000 residents to urgently evacuate.
Underwood took to X and posted about the flight after the footage was posted by NOAA.
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She told CNN: “I can say this without any dramatization whatsoever: if you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you are going to die.”
She said the 15-foot storm surge predicted for the city would be deep enough to swallow a house.
Castor said: “So if you’re in it, basically that’s the coffin that you’re in.”
The hurricane has brought the state’s tourism industry to its knees, with cruise ships not able to dock, evacuation orders, and canceled flights.
Disney World and Universal Studios in Orlando are also set to close in preparation for the storm.
There are fears Milton is set to be western Florida’s version of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 or 2017’s Hurricane Harvey.
Katrina killed 1,400 people and wrought $125 billion in damage to the US economy.
President Joe Biden said those staying in their homes were facing “a matter of life and death.”
He said: “This could be the worst storm to hit Florida in over a century, and God willing, it won’t be, but that’s what it’s looking like right now.”
Transportation links out of central Florida are chaotic or blocked entirely as people try and flee to safety.
Sheriff Chad Chronister of Hillsborough County, which includes Tampa, said they have already seen flooding in the city.
He told CNN: “This is the 11th hour. If you’re in an evacuation zone, the time to get out is now.”
St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport is being transformed into a mandatory evacuation zone after the final flight leaves today.
Orlando Airport has stopped all operations, effective from 8 am today.
Over 4,600 prisoners are also being moved due to Milton, says Florida’s Department of Corrections.
Thousands of terrified residents have tried to flee towards Miami with motorways left at a standstill.
Tampa’s main airport closed on 9 am Tuesday with officials saying it will remain empty until the weather conditions improve.
Florida is already waterlogged after Hurricane Helene hit a fortnight ago meaning more rain won’t drain into the ground.
Bull sharks swam in the streets of the bayside town of Punta Gorda just two weeks ago when Hurricane Helene hit.
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What is a hurricane and how do they form?
A HURRICANE is another name for a tropical cyclone – a powerful storm that forms over warm ocean waters near the equator.
Those arising in the Atlantic or eastern Pacific are called hurricanes, while those in the western Pacific and Indian Ocean are dubbed typhoons or cyclones.
North of the equator they spin anticlockwise because of the rotation of the Earth, however, they turn the opposite way in the southern hemisphere.
Cyclones are like giant weather engines fuelled by water vapor as it evaporates from the sea.
Warm, moist air rises away from the surface, creating a low-pressure system that sucks in air from surrounding areas – which in turn is warmed by the ocean.
As the vapour rises it cools and condenses into swirling bands of cumulonimbus storm clouds.
The system grows and spins faster, sucking in more air and feeding off the energy in seawater that has been warmed by the sun.
At the center, a calm “eye” of the storm is created where cooled air sinks towards the ultra-low pressure zone below, surrounded by spiraling winds of warm air rising.
The faster the wind, the lower the air pressure at the center, and the storm grows stronger and stronger.
Tropical cyclones usually weaken when they hit land as they are no longer fed by evaporation from the warm sea.
But they often move far inland – dumping vast amounts of rain and causing devastating wind damage – before the “fuel” runs out and the storm peters out.
Hurricanes can also cause storm surges when the low air pressure sucks the sea level higher than normal, swamping low-lying coasts.
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