"Milton hits tonight
Hurricane Milton is on final approach to Florida. The National Hurricane Center warns it could be “one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida.” Life-threatening 10 to 15 foot storm surge is possible. Meteorologist Matthew Cappucci has update.
Retooting
National Hurricane Center
@NWSNHC
...WINDS WILL BEGIN TO INCREASE ALONG THE WEST COAST OF FLORIDA BY THIS AFTERNOON AS #MILTON APPROACHES...
...PREPARATIONS, INCLUDING EVACUATION IF TOLD TO DO SO, SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION THIS MORNING...
Follow http://Hurricanes.gov/#Milton for the latest information.
BREAKING
The eye of Hurricane #Milton is now visible from the Key West radar (KBYX).
Landfall looks like overnight and into early Thursday morning, around 2:00 A.M.
Last Post from 5 hours ago:
#milton is a NEAR-PERFECT circle ⭕️
This symmetry demonstrates a perfectly-constructed storm, bringing with it extreme power.
It’s rare to see this in the Atlantic…let alone with crosshairs on Florida.
Debris stretches endlessly along the roads of Siesta Key, Florida. Just under two weeks ago, storm surge from Helene devastated the area, and with Milton approaching in just one day, these communities have no time to recover.
@JordanHallWX
#flwx
After Helene's storm surge hit Siesta Key, Milton is now poised to bring even more devastation. Roads are scattered with debris and personal belongings left behind from the previous storm, which struck less than two weeks ago.
@JordanHallWX
#flwx #HurricaneMilton
LIVE Major Hurricane Milton Update
Hurricane Milton is set for landfall along Florida's west coast on Wednesday evening/early Thursday morning. Time is running out to prepare. Meteorologist Mike Linden is LIVE timing out the storm's arrival and answering viewer questions.
Meanwhile in non-Milton news...
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UW-Madison CIMSS
@UWCIMSS
Beautiful Auroral display overnight in the Day Night Band. Look how it changes in less than 30 minutes! See also https://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/satellite-blog/archives/61044
Latest #Milton update (12:50 EDT)
Winds: 150 mph (Category 4)
Pressure: 929 mb (and dropping)
Movement: ENE @ 9 mph
Aircraft is going in once again. Expect some strengthening over the next few hours.
Textual Forecast Thread from Matthew Cappucci
Orlando too should see winds gusting near 75 mph at peak.
Heavy rains on the order of 6 to 8 inches will be common across central Florida where Milton marches across the Peninsula, with localized totals of a foot or more near and just north of the storm’s path.
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Textual Forecast Thread from Matthew Cappucci
It remains to be seen which specific communities are most heavily impacted.
In addition to surge, winds gusting around 100 mph at the coastline near the storm’s core might cause damage. Tampa proper may see winds of 90 mph on Wednesday evening, and Lakeland could get gusts of 80 mph during the first part of the overnight.
Textual Forecast Thread from Matthew Cappucci
If the eye passes just north of Tampa Bay, a worst-case scenario event will unfold. Yet if the eye slips south of Tampa Bay, offshore winds will mitigate surge impacts; that same scenario, however, would be a worst-case scenario for Sarasota, Venice or Siesta Key, since they would see the onshore winds.
Simply stated, it’s virtually inevitable that some communities will see a destructive and disastrous storm surge.
Textual Forecast Thread from Matthew Cappucci
The storm’s wind field will be expanding, allowing it to more easily pile water against the coast. A dangerous surge of 10 feet or more is likely south of where the eye makes landfall. That’s where onshore eyewall winds will most efficiently push water inland.
It’s likely that landfall will occur somewhere between just north of Tampa Bay and Port Charlotte. But subtle shifts of only a few miles will have enormous bearings on outcomes.
Textual Forecast Thread from Matthew Cappucci
Confidence is high in a life-threatening storm surge somewhere along the central Gulf Coast of Florida. Milton, which reached Category 5 status on Monday north of the Yucatan Peninsula, is expected to slam Florida on Wednesday evening as a Category 3 major hurricane.
Milton hits tomorrow
After spending a day as a historic Category 5, Milton is heading for Florida. Though its maximum winds will decrease into the Category 2 or 3 range, its wind field is expanding markedly — leading to a very dangerous surge. Matthew Cappucci has an update.
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