Communities in Florida are being urged to prepare for a potential Category 3 hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico just days after Hurricane Helene made landfall in the state – killing at least 20 people in Florida, leaving thousands without power and paving a trail of wreckage.
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While the state is still clearing debris from Helene – which made landfall September 26 on Florida’s Big Bend as a Category 4 and created a 500-mile path of destruction with catastrophic flooding and damaging winds – it’s now contending with Tropical Storm Milton.
The stormis expected to “quickly intensify while it moves eastward to northeastward across the Gulfof Mexico and be at or near major hurricane strength when it reaches the west coast of the Florida Peninsula mid week,” the National Hurricane Center said.
“The big question is how quickly and by how much will the storm intensify,” the hurricane center said.
Milton is projected to make landfall in Florida at up to Category 3 strength with 120 mph winds. On Sunday, hurricane and storm surge watches will likely be issued for parts of the Florida coast – with dangerous storm surge expected for some areas just slammed by Helene.
“Regardless of the details, there is increasing confidence that a powerfulhurricane with life-threatening hazards will be affecting portions of the Florida west coast around the middle of next week,” the hurricane center said, adding that rainfall will impact parts of Florida Sunday and Monday.
Milton formed in the western Gulf on Saturday morning, just hours after it became a tropicaldepression, the National Hurricane Center said in a special alert. The 13th named storm is running weeks ahead of schedule as it doesn’t usually occur until.................Read More