Cat 5 Hurricane Milton sets sight on Florida’s west coast
Posted By RichC on October 8, 2024
Once again, the second half of the hurricane season is brewing up what looks to be another monster storm in the Gulf of Mexico (post after Hurricane Helene). This one is named Hurricane Milton and has quickly spun up to a category 5 storm as it starts moving from west to east across the gulf. Most forecasters have at least the wind speed dropping a little before it comes ashore. This one could be one of the states bigger storms. Let’s hope ALL are preparing to move out of the way.
The hurricane was expanding and intensifying quickly Monday while tracking eastward over warm Gulf waters, with the latest growth happening much faster than forecasts suggested. Milton is expected to bring life-threatening conditions to parts of Florida, on Wednesday with the outer band potentially as early as Tuesday.
Milton’s winds surged to 175 mph Monday, exceeding the threshold for Category 5 by a significant margin, according to the latest update from the National Hurricane Center. The storm’s wind speeds more than doubled in the last 48 hours.
At this point forecasters are unsure exactly where it will come ashore, but it will be damaging no matter where it comes ashore. Most models have it late Tuesday night or on Wednesday somewhere around Tampa. The storm surge is expected to be up to 12 feet and will easily flood thousands of homes and businesses in the west coast of Florida area.
There once was a day I wanted to live in the Naples – Marco Island
area (when Christmas vacationing with my college friend Dallas and dreaming about where I wanted to live someday), but development and prices pushed real estate prices way too high … besides, I don’t mind summer in the midwest.
Never the less, I do feel for those who just experienced Hurricane Helene a couple weeks ago and now are facing yet another big storm. So much for insurance rates coming down after all time highs — I’m not sure how the average family in America can afford to own a home or cars anymore?
Enough doom and gloom … last week was also the Oostra’ s annual Apple picking or pumpkin patch weekend. They have been doing it for several years now and always send a great family photo. I definitely know what my parents felt when watching grandchildren growing up and getting older. Yikes!
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