10:55 CDT Monday Update: Milton rapidly intensifies into a category 5 hurricane. Credit: NOAA/GOES-East
Update: The National Hurricane Center has reported that Hurricane Milton’s sustained winds have reached 180 mph, with a minimum central pressure of 897 millibars (mb), ranking Milton as one of the top ten most powerful Atlantic hurricanes on record.
Hurricane Milton has rapidly intensified into a potentially catastrophic Category 5 storm, with maximum sustained winds reaching 180 mph.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) reports that Milton is forecast to move just north of the Yucatan Peninsula and is expected to make landfall on the west coast of Florida by Wednesday.
Milton intensified rapidly, evolving from a Category 1 hurricane on Sunday, with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph at 1:00 PM CDT, to a Category 5 by Monday. Within this short period, its sustained winds more than doubled, escalating from 90 mph to a staggering 180 mph.
The hurricane’s remarkable strengthening has caught the attention of meteorologists. An NHC spokesperson stated, “Milton’s initial wind speed is set to 135 kt, which is an 80-kt increase in 24 hours, only eclipsed by Wilma 2005 and Felix 2007 in our records.”
As of 7:00 PM CDT, Hurricane Milton was located located near latitude 21.9 North and longitude 90.4 West, moving east at approximately 10 mph. The storm’s minimum central pressure has dropped to an alarming 897 mb (26.49 inches), ranking it among the most intense Atlantic hurricanes on record by minimum central pressure.
“While fluctuations in intensity are expected, Milton is forecast to remain an extremely dangerous hurricane through landfall in Florida,” the NHC said in its public advisory.
Authorities have issued severe warnings for the affected regions. “Damaging hurricane-force winds are expected across portions of the northern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. A life-threatening storm surge with damaging waves is also likely,” the NHC cautioned.
For Florida residents, the situation is equally dire. The NHC warns of “an increasing risk of life-threatening storm surge and damaging winds for portions of the west coast of the Florida Peninsula beginning Tuesday night or early Wednesday”. Storm Surge and Hurricane Watches are now in effect, and residents are urged to follow evacuation orders if given.
The hurricane is expected to bring heavy rainfall to Florida, potentially causing “considerable flash, urban, and areal flooding, along with the potential for moderate to major river flooding.”
Underscoring the severity of Hurricane Milton, President Biden has declared a state of emergency in Florida authorizing FEMA to coordinate disaster relief efforts.
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