The National Hurricane Center (NHC) announced on Tuesday that Hurricane Milton has once again escalated to a Category 5 storm, the highest level on the Saffir-Simpson scale, with sustained winds reaching 165 mph (265 km/h). Sharing updates on the social platform X, the NHC remarked, "Milton returns to Category 5," while simultaneously urging Florida residents to make necessary preparations for their families and homes, and to evacuate if instructed.
The hurricane is currently positioned at latitude 22.7°N and longitude 87.5°W, advancing east-northeast at a speed of 9 mph. With a minimum pressure of 918 mb and maximum sustained winds of 165 mph (265 km/h), Milton is classified as a Category 5 hurricane, according to the NHC's website. The forecast center has warned that Milton poses a severe threat to the Florida peninsula, anticipating a destructive storm surge that could lead to flooding over 10 feet along the west-central coast. Authorities strongly advise immediate evacuation for those in warning areas.
Preparing for Milton's Devastation
Expectations are that hurricane-force winds will extend inland across the peninsula, and residents are urged to finalize preparations for protecting life and property, which includes preparing for prolonged power outages, before Tuesday night. Heavy rains are forecasted to continue through Thursday, significantly raising the risk of catastrophic flooding in both urban and riverine areas, with a high potential for flooding where coastal and inland waters converge.
In addition, the NHC has warned that the impact of Milton will be felt in the Yucatán Peninsula, where tropical storm conditions and a dangerous surge with destructive waves will persist through Tuesday night. In a previous advisory, the monitoring center had downgraded the hurricane to Category 4, maintaining it as an extremely dangerous threat to the Florida peninsula.
Implications for the Florida Coast
At that time, Milton had sustained winds of up to 155 mph (250 km/h), with even stronger gusts, posing a grave threat to life and property along Florida's west coast, where landfall is anticipated by Wednesday night. While the powerful cyclone hasn't yet made landfall in Florida, some areas, such as Hialeah, are already experiencing flooding, particularly at the Holiday Acres trailer park, located at 14th Avenue and 25th Street West.
Residents are deeply concerned about the situation Milton may create after its expected landfall later on Wednesday, especially in areas accustomed to recurrent flooding but fearing the worst under these conditions.
The alarm has heightened as Milton, a formidable cyclone, has recorded a barometric pressure of 897 millibars (mb), marking it as the fifth-lowest pressure hurricane recorded in the Western Hemisphere, underscoring its destructive force. … News in progress …