Hurricane Milton made landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast last night as a Category 3 storm, bringing wind speeds of 120 mph and over a dozen tornadoes and thunderstorm warnings. See live updates here.
Among the greatest dangers is Milton’s storm surge, expected to reach up to 13 feet as of this writing. An estimated 6 million Florida residents were ordered to evacuate ahead of the storm’s arrival, including to dozens of emergency shelters; those who did not were directed to shelter in place. More than 1 million people have lost power. Several airports have closed; emergency services in multiple counties have been suspended.
Tampa is among several Florida cities considered most vulnerable to storm surge in the US due to its low elevation and continental shelf acting like a funnel, with water accumulating on the coast. As the storm continues on its projected path into the Atlantic Ocean, it is expected to reshape the state’s coastline.
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