As Hurricane Milton edges closer, Florida residents are rethinking staying home
Florida’s West Coast During the August September 25 – September 29 Tropical Hurricane Event: State of Emergency, Evacuation Procedures and Disaster Preparedness
There are nine hurricanes that have formed in the Atlantic Hurricane season, which lasts from June through November. The period from September 25 to September 29 was the busiest in history with five form in that time.
The storm is about 745 miles west of the state of Florida and 165 miles off the coast of Mexico. The west coast of the Florida Peninsula is under a tropical storm warning, while the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula is under a hurricane warning.
The NHC says most models agree that Milton will cross the Florida Peninsula, though people “should not focus on the exact track” because models still disagree about the exact location and timing of landfall.
There are communities along the western Florida coastline bracing for what officials warn will be a life threatening storm. Storm surges are predicted to reach up to 15 feet high, and several towns were placed under a mandatory evacuation.
There is a risk of damaging winds and storm surge for parts of Florida’s west coast on Tuesday and Wednesday. Water levels could go as high as 12 feet in the coast of Florida, including the bay.
The NHC says residents in that area need to follow the advice of local officials if ordered to leave.
Florida’s governor has declared a state of emergency for 51 counties, and he is warning people across the state to prepare.
He told his followers on Sunday not to get wedded to the cone. “Floridians should prepare now for potential impacts, even if you live outside of the forecast cone. All of your local officials should be followed when ordered to evacuate.
The National Hurricane Center and Florida officials are using dire language to communicate the storm’s threat to residents. Surprisingly, the usually hurricane-hardened Floridians appear to be taking it seriously. Cameras with the state’s Department of Transportation showed crowded highways filled with evacuees heading north, away from Milton’s trajectory, Monday evening.
He warned inland residents who do not live in an evacuated area that it may be better for them to just stay in place.
Manatee County and Pasco County have ordered the evacuation of residents in certain low-lying areas, mobile homes and RVs, while Pinellas County ordered the evacuation of all residential healthcare facilities within certain zones.
Floridians should take into consideration that many people are still recovering from the storm and using up their food and water reserves. Do they need to buy fresh batteries? Have they stocked their supply kits enough to last each family member up to seven days?
It states that the public school districts will be closed from Monday through Wednesday and that the Florida Gulf Coast University campus will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday because of remote operations.
Most of the southern states that were hit the hardest, including Georgia and the Carolinas, will not be affected when it leaves the ocean.
One of the most devastating hurricanes to hit the U.S. since 2005 left more than 220 people dead. The Associated Press reports that about half of the victims were in North Carolina, where historic flooding destroyed entire communities.
Climate change has made it easier for hurricanes to strengthen quickly and bring even more wind and rain to the area.
The first three simultaneous hurricanes have not been recorded before in the Atlantic Ocean. Hurricanes Kirk and Lewin are also getting ready to brew.
SARASOTA, Fla. — Chris Smith hustled to the entrance of his local Sarasota Walmart on Tuesday afternoon looking to stock up on food, water and other supplies as Hurricane Milton approached Florida’s west coast.
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I live in one of the high-rise condos that has a friend that lives there so I can park my car at a higher level. There’s no way that building’s gonna be affected,” Smith said.
He is making sure his home’s windows are strong. Smith said that he has been paranoid since seeing the destruction of HurricaneHABenel, which was a Category 4 storm and hit Florida nearly two weeks ago.
“It’s very serious,” he said. “And I never feel that way. He said that it’s going to be destructive with all the information.
Smith, who is from Florida, decided not to drive from his home to Georgia because he was concerned about the potential for gas shortages.
“The issue is you’re driving and there’s nowhere to get gas. Everybody’s filling their tank up. He said that he thought half the gas stations were empty. And if he wanted to drive to Georgia, he believed it was unlikely hd’d find a gas station with fuel.
We dispatched fuel as gas stations ran out. There’s an additional 1.2 million gallons of diesel and gasoline that we have on our way to Florida. “Fuel continues to arrive in Florida by port,” the governor said during the press conference.
Robert Parker and the Caloosahatchee River during a Hurricane Ireneev-Iannino Storm, and she’s going to stay with her family
In other places of the state, it’s not the recent destruction caused by Hurricane Helene that’s uppermost in the minds of people, but a storm from two years ago.
Robert Parker, 37, stayed in his house with his son and fiancé when Hurricane Ian hit. The area near the Caloosahatchee River is prone to floods due to the storm surge. During Hurricane Ian, they almost drowned.
The group is going to ride it out in a hotel. I have to go back to the property as soon as the storm is over to make sure everything is okay.
“I know more people leaving this time than ever left,” Husz told NPR. She is not leaving. Husz said she had a generator and shutters so she could protect the fort. I’ve done all I know to do and given myself a sense of security, even if it’s false.
