Hurricane Milton live updates: Tampa braces for strongest storm in century as Category 4 hurricane barrels toward Florida
Hurricane Milton weakens to Category 4 but poses ‘even more danger’ as it continues to grow in size ahead of Wednesday’s projected landfall
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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned residents Tuesday that “time is running out” for them to evacuate.
“You may have a window where it may be safe, but you may not,” he said. “So, use today as your day to finalize and execute the plan that is going to protect you and your family.”
His warning comes after Tampa mayor Jane Castor told CNN on Monday that residents will die if they don’t evacuate as Hurricane Milton races towards the state’s west coast.
Hurricane Helene, which devastated parts of the Sunshine State almost two weeks ago, was a “wake-up call,” she said. Milton could be “literally catastrophic,” Castor added.
The potential “once in a lifetime” storm rapidly intensified from a Category 1 to a Category 5 hurricane on Monday with sustained winds surpassing 180mph, before slowing to Category 4 on Tuesday.
The National Hurricane Center has warned that Milton may regain strength and grow in size, posing “even more danger” as it is expected to make landfall in Florida by Wednesday evening, slamming into the densely populated Tampa Bay.
President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration on Monday after pledging “life-saving resources in advance of the storm,” the day prior.
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“This one is gonna be different, and that’s why I called the governor about what Florida has received in terms of impact,” Vice President Kamala Harris told “The View” on Tuesday morning.
Can Hurricane Milton become a ‘Category 6’ storm – which doesn’t yet exist?
Hurricane Milton’s rapid intensification to a Category 5 storm has shocked forecasters, but it is just the latest in a series of storms so extreme that the current hurricane scale may no longer fully capture their severity.
The potential “once in a lifetime” storm rapidly intensified from a Category 1 to a Category 5 hurricane in a matter of a few hours.
The National Hurricane Center has warned that Milton may gain more strength and grow in size, posing “even more danger” as it looks to make landfall in Florida by Wednesday evening, slamming into the densely populated Tampa Bay.
Stuti Mishra has more.
Can Hurricane Milton become a ‘Category 6’ storm – which doesn’t yet exist?
Further rise in global temperatures could lead to more extreme storms like Helene and Milton and create the need for adding another category, researchers say
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warns residents that ‘time is running out’ to evacuate
Gov. Ron DeSantis told Florida residents on Tuesday that “time is running out” ahead of Hurricane Milton.
“There’s no guarantee what the weather’s going to be like starting Wednesday morning,” he said during a press conference.
“You may have a window where it may be safe, but you may not,” he added. “So use today as your day to finalize and execute the plan that is going to protect you and your family.”
K-12 schools closed across 43 Florida counties ahead of Hurricane Milton making landfall
K-12 schools across 43 of Florida’s 46 counties are set to close on Wednesday, in anticipation of Hurricane Milton making landfall on the state’s west coast.
Ten of those schools are expected to reopen on Thursday after the storm slams into Tampa on Wednesday night. Others remain closed for the rest f the week.
“The Florida Department of Education works closely with school districts before, during and after natural disasters to ensure they have the resources necessary to resume normal operations as quickly as possible. We will continue collaborating with district leadership to address questions as they arise,” a statement reads on the Florida Department of Education’s website.
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Holmes Beach Police Chief Tokajer: Milton will be a ‘punch in the gut'
William Tokajer, the chief of police in Holmes Beach, said Tuesday that rapidly-approaching Hurricane Milton is going to be a “punch in the gut” for his community.
"This is devastating," he told FOX 13 Tampa. "It’s a punch in the gut for everybody out here that has been working so hard to rehab their houses and to get them ready so they can do reconstruction."
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