Hurricane Milton has Grown Significantly to become a Category 5 Hurricane

By Addison Brewer-Hay

While Florida continues a rapid clean up of Hurricane Helene’s damage, Hurricane Milton is expected to strike soon and is estimated to present more serious damage. According to Colorado State hurricane scientist Phil Klotzbach, this is the first time the Atlantic has had three simultaneous hurricanes after September.

Hurricane Milton was first reported by the National Hurricane Center as a tropical storm on Oct. 5. However, as it has continued to grow on the coast of Florida, its intensity has reached up to a category 5 hurricane as of Oct. 7. 

Those located in the Tampa Bay Area have already begun evacuating and extending gas lines to ensure individuals remain safe in the areas expecting to be impacted. As the intensity of the hurricane has increased, category 5 expresses the possibility of roof failure on buildings and the potential for mobile homes to blow away. A local shop owner who moved his business on wheels after hurricane Ian destroyed his store expressed his concerns regarding Milton’s potential damage. “I’m very worried,” Belger expressed in an interview with AP news, “We’ll rebuild, but it’s going to be bad.”

While this sentiment spreads across several Florida natives, Milton begins its progression towards the Tampa Bay area before moving across central Florida and into the Atlantic Ocean. This should spare the southeastern states devastated by Hurricane Helene another wave of damage and destruction. Furthermore, While its current target is primarily in the United States, some parts of Mexico’s eastern border is preparing for the increase in rain and winds that may follow shortly after the Hurricane’s passing. Currently, Mexican officials are organizing buses to evacuate those living in the low-lying coastal city of Progresso, a shipping hotspot.

Hurricane Milton is expected to pass through its projected path as early as Wednesday, Oct. 9 with winds of up to 160 mph. While many areas, including Hillsborough County, continue to evacuate and brace for the hurricane’s impact, government officials have began extending advice to their citizens preparing for possible devastation. 

As Milton continues to pass through Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis urges Floridians to prepare their homes for more power outages and to have a week’s worth of food and supplies ready if they’re forced to hit the road. Live updates regarding this increasing hurricane can be accessed on several news sources including AP news and The New York Times.