As someone who has lived through Hurricane Helene and witnessed its destructive power, I can tell you that the forecast for Hurricane Milton is nothing short of terrifying. The projected storm surge for Tampa Bay alone – 8 to 10 feet – is more than double what we experienced with Helene. And let me tell you, that’s no joke!
Predictions indicate that Hurricane Milton will surpass Hurricane Helene in severity when it strikes Florida on Wednesday and persists until Thursday. The National Weather Service (NWS) has stated via their platform (previously Twitter) that Hurricane Milton has escalated to a Category 5 due to rapid intensification. Many Floridians are still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which brought about a substantial storm surge in Florida and severe flooding in Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. In contrast, Hurricane Milton is expected to primarily affect Florida, but the danger is particularly high for coastal counties in central Florida.
How much worse will Hurricane Milton be compared to Helene?
It’s predicted that Hurricane Milton could be more powerful than Hurricane Helene in terms of storm surge, specifically posing a significant threat to Tampa Bay, Charlotte Harbor, and other coastal regions of western Florida situated between them.
According to the National Weather Service’s update at 10 AM CDT on Monday, Tampa Bay is predicted to experience a storm surge of 8 to 10 feet due to Hurricane Milton, with Charlotte Harbor expecting a similar range. This projected surge is more than twice as high as what was observed during Hurricane Helene, where Tampa Bay saw a storm surge of 3 to 5 feet and Charlotte Harbor had 2 to 4 feet, as reported by CBS News.
Following the account by Jonathan Petramala on YouTube, I’ve witnessed firsthand how Hurricane Helene has left Tampa in shambles. Swaths of the city are cordoned off, with sandbags and debris lining the streets. It’s crucial for us residents to clear these piles promptly as they could transform into hazardous missiles during a hurricane or obstruct storm drains, causing further problems.
I’ve been closely following the progress of these two hurricanes, and here’s what I’ve gathered. Hurricane Milton has been impressively powerful, escalating from a Category 5 in the Gulf. On the other hand, Hurricane Helene started as a steady Category 3, later upgrading to a Category 4 upon landfall. According to weather analyst Ryan Hall, we can expect Hurricane Milton to expand and spread out by early Wednesday. The good news is that it’s predicted to lessen in strength, potentially dropping down to a Category 3 or even lower when it hits the Florida coastline due to wind shear and dry air.
As a keen observer, I can’t help but express my concern about the impending impact of this storm. Despite Milton potentially weakening, it’s still predicted to generate a substantial storm surge along the southeastern corner. Remarkably, this system is on course to make a direct hit on Tampa, a fact that has been evident in its recent southward trajectory over the past few days. As per meteorologist Hall, the storm surge could potentially rise as high as “15 feet.
As Milton moves towards the center of Florida, there’s a likelihood of heavy downpours and possible flash flooding affecting regions such as Jacksonville and Daytona Beach in the northeast. However, it appears that the storm may bypass Georgia and South Carolina.
Note that the forecast for Hurricane Milton has become stronger since Saturday. Initially, it was anticipated to be either a Category 3 or 4 storm, but forecasters didn’t anticipate how rapidly it would intensify. If it continues to strengthen, the predicted storm surge will increase even more significantly.
Originally reported by Nicholas Tan on Mandatory.
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2024-10-10 19:10