According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Hurricane Center (NHC), Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, along the coast of west-central Florida, as a Category (Cat) 3 hurricane around 8:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on Wednesday, October 9. After making its landfall, Milton tracked east across the Florida Peninsula before weakening to a Cat 1 over Cape Canaveral, Florida. A report issued by the NHC at 8:00 a.m. EDT located the eye of Milton off Florida’s east coast in the Atlantic Ocean, about 75 miles east-northeast of Cape Canaveral, Florida. Throughout the day on Thursday, October 10, officials forecast the storm to continue traveling northeast over the Atlantic before turning east towards north of the Bahamas as it gradually weakens. Milton’s current maximum sustained winds are estimated up to 85 miles per hour (mph) with hurricane-force winds that extend outward up to 35 miles and tropical storm-force winds that extend outward up to 205 miles, traveling at 18 mph.
Hurricane Milton – GeoColor: NOAA
Hurricane Milton has caused widespread impacts across Florida and is continuing to bring threats of high winds, flooding, and storm surge as it moves into the Atlantic. As of 7:00 a.m. EDT, more than 3.32 million customers were without power across Florida. On Monday, October 7, President Biden approved an Emergency Declaration for Florida, as well as an Emergency Declaration for the Seminole Tribe of Florida on Tuesday, October 8, preceding the storm. These declarations order federal assistance to support state, tribal, and local response efforts. Additionally, on Sunday, October 6, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis amended the State’s Executive Order 24-214, increasing the number of counties with a declared state of emergency from 35 to 51.
When discussing Florida’s readiness for this event on Bloomberg TV’s ‘Balance of Power’, Lee Mayfield, Hagerty’s Director of Response Programs and Florida native, stated,
“The good news on this storm is, we’ve had a couple of days to prepare. That goes towards evacuation planning and giving people time to make decisions for their family and for their business. Florida is no stranger to these types of events, but it’s been a long time since this part of the state faced a storm like this… [but] this is what we do; this is our business. We plan, train, and exercise for these types of events.” Watch the full interview here.
Although Milton has now been downgraded to a Cat 1 and is tracking away from the State of Florida, the NHC is predicting damaging hurricane-force winds across Florida’s eastern coast, potentially life-threatening storm surge along the coast from east-central Florida to southern Georgia, and a marginal risk of flash flooding in portions of Florida’s upper-east coast.
This imagery from @NOAA‘s #GOESEast ️ is providing visible cloud imagery every 30 seconds of #HurricaneMilton as it pushes closer to Florida. Notice the frequent #lightning being picked up by the satellite’s #GLM instrument as well.
Get the latest on #Milton:… https://t.co/33Yng1EYNC pic.twitter.com/5Xjb2K2Y49
— NOAA Satellites (@NOAASatellites) October 9, 2024
X: NOAA Satellites
Governor DeSantis reported that 19 confirmed tornadoes spawned from Milton’s outer bands on Wednesday, October 9, causing multiple fatalities, injuries, and more than a hundred structures to be damaged across the State. According to the St. Lucie Medical Examiner, there have been four tornado-related fatalities confirmed in St. Lucie, Florida, as of October 10. Additional impacts include heavy rain as communities in Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Manatee County, Florida, received between 10 and 17 inches of rainfall. Additionally, communities in Tampa, Florida, received over 11 inches of rainfall on October 9, breaking the monthly record rainfall total in one single day. The previous record stood for over 100 years when over 10 inches of rain fell throughout the month of October 1922. In Sarasota County, where Milton made landfall, water levels rose more than eight feet as a result of storm surge. As of October 10, state search and rescue teams have conducted more than 42 land and water rescues, including 21 from a single apartment building in Pinellas County. State officials say response and rescue operations will remain the top priority, with damage assessments underway.
With night falling and power outages climbing, high winds are only getting worse across western FL. While sheltering from #Milton, stay in interior rooms away from places with overhanging trees or branches. pic.twitter.com/sJNRFT7XMe
— National Weather Service (@NWS) October 9, 2024
X: NWS
With Hurricane Warnings still in effect for multiple communities throughout Florida, it is recommended to stay indoors, avoiding exterior rooms with windows and staying out of vehicles. High winds may also cause downed power lines. The NWS recommends individuals report downed lines to the local utility emergency center or police and avoid anything that may be touching the line, including vehicles, tree branches, and puddles. Additionally, damaging wind gusts increase the possibility of widespread or long-duration power outages. In the event of a power outage, it is important to practice generator safety. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), there are several safety precautions to keep in mind when using a generator, including reading the manufacturer’s instructions and not using generators indoors, in partially enclosed spaces, or near open doors or windows. The NWS also recommends that generators be placed at least 20 feet away from doors, windows, and garages.
Hurricane conditions also bring the potential for flooding. Throughout a flooding event, individuals should pay close attention to emergency alerts and/or their local alerting systems for the most up-to-date information – consider accessing the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and the NOAA Weather Radio for the latest warnings, watches, and advisories. For more flood safety information, visit Ready.gov.
Over the coming days and weeks, Hagerty’s Blog Team will continue to provide guidance on making effective preparations for long-term recovery, as well as continuing our situational updates.
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Remember, Ready.gov provides information on how to prepare for a storm and keep you and your family safe.