Florida, United States

Hurricane Milton is expected to hit the US state of Florida, bringing strong winds that will likely result in catastrophic damage. The state was hit with another powerful storm Hurricane Helene 12 days ago, which resulted in debris that the residents are still clearing.

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According to the National Hurricane Center, "Milton has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida.”

When and where will Milton make landfall?

Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall in Manatee County and the Sarasota County area in Florida. It will hit the Gulf coasts of the state including the Tampa Bay area, Fort Myers, Orlando, Cape Canaveral and Daytona Beach. Nearby regions also remain on tropical storm alert.

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Also read | Monstrous Hurricane Milton could permanently alter Florida's entire coastline, experts warn

As the storm is growing larger, Rick Davis, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Tampa told USA Today, "We're telling people not to focus on the exact centre because as the system makes landfall, the eye is going to be getting larger, and the wind field is going to be expanding.”

The storm is expected to reach the Florida coasts by Wednesday night or early Thursday morning.

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The south-west and west-central Florida are already starting to experience the effects of the storm as heavy rains are lashing the area. 

As the storm nears, authorities have ordered a mandatory evacuation for millions in the region. The evacuation zone includes Charlotte County, Citrus County, Collier County, Hernando County, Hillsborough County, Lee County, Levy County, Manatee County, Pasco County, Pinellas County, Sarasota County, St Johns County, and Volusia County.

Also Read | Hurricane Milton is eerily similar to a 2020 hypothetical Cat 5 scenario

What is the intensity of Milton?

Hurricane Milton is classified as a Category 5 storm, according to meteorologists. This is the maximum category as per the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale, which ranges from 1 to 5.

According to the National Weather Server, a Category 5 hurricane is described as a storm with wind speeds 157 mph or higher (252 km/hr or higher). During this storm, “catastrophic damage will occur: a high percentage of framed homes will be destroyed, with total roof failure and wall collapse. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last for weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months.”

Late Tuesday (Oct 8) the storm sustained winds of 165 mph (270 km/hr). The forecasters have warned of a storm surge of 10 to 15 feet (3 to 4.5 metres) in Tampa Bay, much worse than Helene’s which was 5 to 8 feet (1.5 to 2.5 metres).

(With inputs from agencies)