Hurricane Milton interactive tracker: Watch the path of deadly storm as it barrels toward Florida...
STAY INFORMED: Get live updates on Hurricane Milton as it intensifies into a Category 5 storm.
Written by Matthew Phelan, Senior Science Journalist for Dailymail.com
Posted: 5:24 PM BST, October 7, 2024 | Revised: 7:57 PM BST, October 7, 2024
An engaging tracker has shown the present and upcoming trajectory of Hurricane Milton as the fierce storm moves through the Gulf of Mexico on its way to Florida.
The tracker currently indicates that Milton is intensifying just north of Campeche, a port city in Mexico, while it moves steadily in a northeastern direction toward Florida's western shoreline.
As of 1 PM Eastern Time, Milton is generating precipitation at a rate of 2 to 3 inches per hour near the center of the storm. It is gaining strength as it heads toward Tampa, where it is anticipated to arrive on Wednesday morning.
Weather experts are predicting dangerous conditions with storm surges reaching up to nine feet and winds soaring to 150 miles per hour as this unusually powerful Category 5 hurricane makes landfall in Florida.
Around six million people are currently under hurricane watch alerts, with many being instructed to leave their homes. In preparation for the storm, major airports such as Tampa International Airport are also planning to shut down early.
The weather visualization company Ventusky is currently analyzing meteorological information to map out and forecast the trajectory of Hurricane Milton using its tracking tool, shown below.
Data scientists and representatives from Ventusky noted that the forecast for Hurricane Milton was 'uncommon' since it was occurring almost simultaneously with the effects of Hurricane Kirk's weakening storm system, which is set to hit southwestern France.
The weather data company announced on their X.com account that Hurricane Milton rapidly escalated from a tropical storm to a powerful Category 4 hurricane in just 24 hours.
The company highlighted in their overnight video post that the system's development is easily seen on satellite images at night, where a clear, cloud-free center starts to appear rapidly.
Cities along Florida's western coastline, stretching from Spring Hill in the north to Cape Coral in the south — including Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Venice — are bracing for the most severe effects of Hurricane Milton as it sweeps through the state on Wednesday.
According to Ventusky's projections, the most severe effects of the storm are expected to last into the early hours of Thursday. The center of the storm will move through central Florida before making its way past the eastern coast after 5 AM Eastern time.
Meteorologists utilize the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale to classify and categorize hurricanes into five levels, each representing a higher degree of intensity.
Hurricane Katrina, notorious for its destruction of New Orleans in 2005, was classified as a Category 1 storm, with wind speeds ranging from 74 to 95 mph. This level of wind was sufficient to severely damage the levees, leading to widespread flooding in the city.
As a Category 5 storm, Milton will be similar to Hurricane Andrew from 1992 and Hurricane Michael from 2018. These two storms are among the few hurricanes to have struck the United States at Category 5 strength since 1900, according to the National Weather Service.
Hurricane Andrew, which reached Category 5 status, completely devastated nearly all mobile homes in Homestead, a city located in Miami-Dade County in southern Florida. Out of 1,176 mobile homes, 1,167 were destroyed, showcasing the immense power of such storms.
Andrew was responsible for at least 15 direct fatalities and an additional 28 indirect fatalities as it caused severe devastation across the mainland United States.
Experts predict that Hurricane Milton will be just as lethal.
On Monday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that it has allocated more than $210 million to help communities recover and rebuild following the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene.
A FEMA representative mentioned that while the agency is concentrating on the response and recovery for Helene, it is also getting resources ready to assist local and state efforts in anticipation of Hurricane Milton.
Residents of Florida who need assistance are encouraged to reach out to the State Assistance Information Line (SAIL) by calling 1-800-342-3557 or the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362.
