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Hurricane Milton Spawns Tornadoes and Leaves Millions Without Power in Florida

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Hurricane Milton tore through Florida on Thursday, leaving behind a trail of destruction, including deadly tornadoes, damaged homes, and widespread power outages affecting over 3 million residents. Despite fears of catastrophic flooding in the Tampa Bay area, the region narrowly avoided severe inundation, with water levels remaining below what was seen during Hurricane Helene just two weeks earlier.

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor expressed relief, stating, “We’ll have storm surge damage but nothing like it could have been.” While the storm brought significant challenges, it spared the city from the devastating flooding that many had feared.

Initially making landfall on Florida’s west coast as a Category 3 hurricane with winds reaching 120 mph (205 kph), Milton weakened to a Category 1 storm by Thursday morning as it crossed the peninsula, exiting Florida’s east coast. The storm’s eye hit Siesta Key, a small barrier island near Sarasota, with significant damage occurring throughout the state.

Tornadoes and Fatalities Reported

Milton’s fury triggered at least 19 tornadoes across various counties, causing widespread destruction, particularly to mobile homes. In Fort Pierce, two deaths were reported in a retirement community after a suspected tornado, according to local authorities. Other areas saw similar devastation, including St. Lucie County, where Sheriff Keith Pearson estimated that around 100 homes were destroyed.

In Fort Myers, Connor Ferin recounted how a tornado obliterated his home. “All this happened instantaneous, like these windows blew out,” he said. “I grabbed the two dogs and ran under my bed, and that was it.” In just moments, his house was reduced to wreckage, exposing the interior to the elements.

Widespread Power Outages and Flight Cancellations

As of Thursday morning, over 3 million Florida homes and businesses were without power. The storm also led to the cancellation of more than 2,200 flights, primarily affecting airports in Orlando, Tampa, and southwest Florida.

Governor Ron DeSantis confirmed that around 125 homes had been destroyed by the tornadoes, and authorities were still assessing the full extent of the damage across the state. He assured that search-and-rescue teams were ready to operate overnight, with 9,000 National Guard personnel and 50,000 utility workers mobilized to assist in recovery efforts.

Zoo Animals and Gasoline Shortages

While human evacuees clogged highways and gas stations faced shortages, animals at Tampa’s zoo, including elephants and flamingos, were sheltered in safe enclosures. Nearly a quarter of Florida’s gas stations were out of fuel by Wednesday afternoon, causing further panic as residents fled or prepared to ride out the storm.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had already mobilized millions of gallons of water, meals, and emergency supplies in anticipation of Milton’s impact, ensuring that recovery efforts would not be hindered by the ongoing restoration following Hurricane Helene.

Economic Impact

With much of Florida and the southeastern U.S. still grappling with the aftermath of Helene, Milton is expected to add billions of dollars in damage to the region. Both hurricanes have devastated communities and infrastructures, leaving millions in need of assistance.

Governor DeSantis emphasized that search-and-rescue teams would be on the front lines as soon as the storm passed, and recovery efforts would begin immediately. “It’s going to mean pretty much all the rescues are going to be done in the dark,” he noted, but assured that crews were fully prepared for the challenge.

 

Floridians Rush to Evacuate as Category 5 Hurricane Milton Approaches

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Floridians are scrambling to escape the Gulf Coast as Hurricane Milton, a Category 5 storm, barrels towards the state, threatening catastrophic damage. More than one million people in coastal areas have been ordered to evacuate, with residents clogging highways and gas stations running dry as the storm’s landfall approaches late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning. The storm is targeting the Tampa Bay region, home to over 3 million people, but forecasters caution that its path could shift slightly.

Hurricane Milton, with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph (260 kph), is one of the most powerful storms ever to threaten the Gulf Coast. The National Hurricane Center warned of a deadly storm surge of over 10 feet along much of the coast, posing grave risks to the region already battered by Hurricane Helene less than two weeks ago.

Officials, including President Joe Biden and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, have urged residents in evacuation zones to flee immediately. Michael Tylenda, visiting his son in Tampa, echoed their concern. “When you don’t evacuate when you’re ordered to, you can pretty much die,” Tylenda said, recalling the deadly aftermath of past hurricanes. “The house can be replaced. The stuff can be replaced. So it’s just better to get out of town.”

Milton has intensified rapidly, becoming the third-fastest storm to grow from a Category 1 to a Category 5 in the Atlantic within 24 hours. Climate experts, like Daniel Gilford of Climate Central, attribute the rapid intensification to unusually warm sea temperatures fueled by climate change, warning that storms like Milton could become more frequent and destructive in the future.

At 10 p.m. CDT, the storm’s eye was located 405 miles southwest of Tampa, moving northeast at 12 mph. While Milton’s winds may weaken as it approaches land, its massive size poses a continued threat not only to Florida’s Gulf Coast but also to the state’s Atlantic side.

In response to the storm, Florida’s economy, which represents about 2.8% of the U.S. GDP, faces disruptions. Airlines, energy companies, and major attractions like Universal Studios have begun halting operations, bracing for the storm’s impact.

With mandatory evacuations issued for more than a dozen coastal counties, including Hillsborough and Pinellas, over 500,000 residents in St. Petersburg alone have been ordered to evacuate. Mobile homes, nursing facilities, and assisted living centers are also under mandatory evacuation.

Fort Myers resident Jamie Watts, who lost his mobile home during Hurricane Ian in 2022, has taken shelter in a hotel with his wife this time. “We stayed during Ian and literally watched my roof tear off my house,” Watts said. “This time I’m going to be a little safer.”

As of Tuesday, traffic snarls and fuel shortages worsened the evacuation efforts. Around 17% of Florida’s nearly 8,000 gas stations had run out of fuel, according to GasBuddy.

The nation watches nervously as Hurricane Milton approaches, with hopes that Floridians in its path will find safety before the storm strikes.

 

Florida Prepares for Massive Evacuation as Hurricane Milton Approaches, Still Recovering from Helene

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Florida is bracing for its largest evacuation since 2017 as Hurricane Milton gathers strength in the Gulf of Mexico, threatening to make landfall on Wednesday along the state’s western coast. This comes on the heels of Hurricane Helene, which caused widespread devastation in northern Florida just days earlier.

Hurricane Milton intensified from a tropical storm to a Category 1 hurricane on Sunday and is projected to strike near the heavily populated Tampa Bay area as a major hurricane. According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC), Milton could escalate into a Category 4 storm, potentially causing widespread flooding and destruction.

As of Sunday evening, the hurricane was located about 780 miles west-southwest of Tampa, moving toward Florida at 7 mph (11 kph), with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (140 km/h). A hurricane watch has also been issued for parts of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.

Largest Evacuation Since Hurricane Irma

Kevin Guthrie, the director of Florida’s emergency management division, urged residents to prepare for what could be the largest evacuation since Hurricane Irma in 2017. “I highly encourage you to evacuate,” he said during a press conference, as officials stressed the severity of the impending storm.

Governor Ron DeSantis warned of potential storm surges, widespread power outages, and the likelihood that Milton could compound damage left by Helene. “There are some areas with a lot of debris that is there, so if you get hit with a major hurricane, what’s going to happen to that debris? It’s going to increase the damage dramatically,” DeSantis said.

In Pinellas County, which includes St. Petersburg, Sheriff Bob Gualtieri warned of mandatory evacuations likely to affect more than 500,000 people in low-lying areas. Emergency officials have already ordered the evacuation of six hospitals, 25 nursing homes, and 44 assisted living facilities, impacting 6,600 patients. Schools in the area will remain closed from Monday to Wednesday in anticipation of the storm.

Devastation from Hurricane Helene

The state is still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Helene, which made landfall on September 26, killing more than 200 people across six states and causing massive damage, particularly in North Carolina. Helene is now the deadliest storm to hit the U.S. mainland since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which claimed nearly 1,400 lives. Helene’s economic damage is expected to reach billions of dollars.

Florida officials, still dealing with recovery from Helene, are facing additional challenges as Hurricane Milton approaches. “We already will be rebuilding for years because of Hurricane Helene, and that will be exacerbated by the impacts of this storm,” said St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch. “Milton is a powerful Cat 2 or Cat 3 hurricane headed directly for us.”

Federal Response and Aid

U.S. President Joe Biden has ordered another 500 active-duty troops to assist with recovery efforts in western North Carolina following Helene’s devastation, bringing the total number of active-duty troops to 1,500. The federal workforce of 7,000 people and 6,100 National Guard personnel are already deployed across impacted states.

The Biden administration has approved $137 million in federal aid for recovery from Helene, and more assistance is expected as Florida and other southern states prepare for the arrival of Hurricane Milton.

Florida’s emergency services are on high alert, and residents in the storm’s projected path are urged to take evacuation orders seriously. With two major hurricanes in quick succession, the state faces a critical test of its disaster preparedness and recovery capabilities.