Ballina Aktualitet Lajme Hurricane Milton spawns tornadoes as it approaches Florida

Hurricane Milton spawns tornadoes as it approaches Florida

Hurricane Milton, a category four storm packing 145mph (233km/h) winds, is going to be “deadly and catastrophic”, officials are warning, as millions flee Florida for safety

Milton is forecast to be at category three strength when it makes landfall by midnight over southern Sarasota

US President Joe Biden slams a “reckless” promotion of “outright lies” by Trump and others about the federal government’s response

It comes less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene hit the Gulf Coast as a category four storm, killing at least 225 people across Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and North Carolina

What effect has climate change had on Milton?

One key factor in the rapid intensification of Hurricane Milton is the exceptionally high sea temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico.

Warm waters are the fuel source for hurricane growth so hotter seas can mean more powerful hurricanes, if other conditions are right.

Stronger onshore winds can amplify storm surges and long-term sea level rise – largely thanks to global warming – makes it more likely that any given storm surge will lead to coastal flooding.

In Florida, average sea levels have risen by more than 18cm (7in) since 1970, according to US government data.

Warmer air can also hold more moisture, potentially increasing the rainfall totals.

A full scientific analysis will be needed to quantify the exact role of climate change in Hurricane Milton. But it fits with expectations of how these storms are changing in a warming world.

Here’s the latest

In its afternoon update, the National Weather Service said Hurricane Milton is growing in size as it moves closer to the west coast of Florida
It is expected to make landfall as early as 22:00 EST Wednesday (02:00 GMT Thursday) near Tampa Bay, an area of roughly three million residents
The storm is currently a category four – the second-highest level – with winds of 130mph (209km/h) around the eyewall
Milton has already spawned tornadoes ahead of its arrival – one twister crossed Interstate 75, without causing any injuries
Millions of people along a stretch of more than 300 miles (480km) of Florida’s coastline are under evacuation orders
Mandatory evacuation orders are in place across 11 Florida counties, and those who stay have been warned they must fend for themselves. More than 65,000 homes already have no power
Tampa International Airport has halted flights. Nearby St Pete-Clearwater International Airport has also closed. Nearly 2,000 flights have been cancelled into or out of the US
Disney World, Universal Studios and SeaWorld have shut their doors
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said earlier: “There is high confidence that this hurricane is going to pack a major, major punch and do an awful lot of damage.”

Hurricane Milton’s storm surge begins on Florida Gulf Coast

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Harris calls misinfo ‘unconscionable frankly’

Vice-President Kamala Harris just called into CNN to reassure viewers that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) “absolutely has the resources that it needs” to tackle Milton.

The Democratic presidential nominee also deplored the misinformation that has spread since Hurricane Helene struck the same region two weeks ago, involving rumours that Fema was withholding resources and diverting hurricane disaster funds towards immigrants.

“It is dangerous,” Harris said. “It is unconscionable frankly, that anyone who would consider themselves a leader would mislead desperate people to the point that those desperate people would not receive the aid to which they are entitled.

“The politics have to end.”

Earlier, President Joe Biden blamed Donald Trump and a Georgia congresswoman, Marjorie Taylor Greene, for spreading what he called “outright lies”.

How high will storm surge be?

The National Hurricane Center says the storm surge from Milton could reach up to 15ft.

That enough to inundate some houses up to the roof.

Biden says Milton is ‘looking like the storm of the century’

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris received a briefing on Wednesday with updates from Noaa, the US Coast Guard, and other federal organizations ahead of Milton and the ongoing response to last month’s Hurricane Helene, which states like Florida are still recovering from.

Biden on Wednesday said Milton looks like it could be the “storm of the century”.

Biden cancelled his trips to Africa and to Germany on Tuesday in order to be available for the emergency that is the impending storm, which has left Floridians worried for their properties and lives.

Milton brings Florida its most tornado warnings in a day on record

Milton is generating a prolific tornado outbreak in Florida and it isn’t done yet.

The National Weather Service has issued 90 tornado warnings in Florida and counting today – more than have ever been issued in the state in a single day. A handful of these warnings were given the incredibly serious designation of “particularly dangerous situation.”

Tornado warnings (red) since Wednesday morning are overlaid on a radar loop of Milton.
Tornado warnings (red) since Wednesday morning are overlaid on a radar loop of Milton.

Brian McNoldy

At least 11 confirmed tornadoes have roared over parts of Florida since this morning, according to weather service reports.

Irma generated the second-most most tornado warnings in a day with 69 on September 10, 2017. Helene is third with 48 on September 26.

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