Hurricane Milton rapidly intensifies overnight

Photo: Satellite Image of Hurricane Milton

The Category 5 hurricane is one of two to form in the Gulf of Mexico since the satellite era in 1966.

by Marco Lopez

BELIZE CITY, Mon. Oct. 7, 2024

Life-threatening hurricane-force winds and storm surge are expected to batter the northern parts of the Yucatan peninsula through tonight as Hurricane Milton makes its way through the Gulf of Mexico.

Belizeans living in northern Mexico are preparing for their brush with this storm – cited as the strongest category 5 hurricane seen coming out of the Mexican Gulf for decades.

This area of the Yucatan was also subject to hurricane conditions early this year from Hurricane Beryl. The impact of Hurricane Milton on the Yucatan peninsula is expected to be worse going into tonight and Tuesday morning.

The storm cone shows a projected path barrelling toward Florida’s west coast, where a hurricane warning is already in effect.

As it crosses the Florida peninsula, the entire area is expected to experience life-threatening hurricane-force winds which will spread inland. They are expected to begin feeling tropical storm conditions within this area early on Wednesday.

A hurricane warning is in effect from Celestun to Rio Lagartos. A hurricane watch is in effect for Rio Lagartos to Cabo Catocho, and Campeche.

A hurricane warning has been issued for the entire west coast of Florida from Bonita Beach northward to the mouth of the Suwanne River – inclusive of Tampa Bay.

During a briefing today, the National Weather Service in Tampa Bay noted that Hurricane Milton, “will be a historic storm.” It added, “If Milton continues along the current track, it could be the worst storm to impact the Tampa area in more than a century.”

The current path shows that the storm will spare Georgia, North and South Carolina, and other southeastern states impacted by Helene. That storm resulted in significant damage from Florida to the Appalachian Mountains, claiming more than 230 lives.

For low-lying Florida, the storm surge is projected to be a major problem, especially considering that the storm’s path is projected to cross very densely populated areas.

Between Sunday and Monday, Milton intensified (reportedly peaking at 175 miles per hour) as it travelled over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Record-breaking ocean temperatures were observed in that area during September of this year, breaking all previously recorded highs.

An emergency order has been issued in Florida since Saturday, and was expanded on Sunday to include 51 counties.

Hurricane Milton is the strongest Atlantic hurricane in five years, since Dorian in 2019. It is also the third deepest Atlantic hurricane seen in the Gulf of Mexico since 1979, and is tied with Hurricanes Mitch (1998) and Dean (2007) for the eighth lowest pressure millibar. Considering wind speeds, it is one of the strongest ever recorded in the Gulf of Mexico. It is worth noting that Milton is the strongest storm recorded in this area this late in the season, and is ranked second of the most rapidly intensifying hurricanes recorded in the Atlantic Basin, clocking a boost from a category 1 to category 5 in just 18 hours.

We pray for our brothers and sisters in the Yucatan and Florida as they prepare to weather this storm.