Two weeks after Hurricane Helene made landfall, causing at least 227 deaths alongside other substantial damage across the US, US officials anticipated Hurricane Milton to be one of the most powerful storms to form in the North Atlantic in the past century. Now that the storm is on its way across the North Atlantic Ocean at Category 1 strength, the damage Milton has left in its wake can be assessed.
Forecasters predicted Hurricane Milton to hit the Florida coast on Wednesday 9th October as a Category 5 hurricane. Category 5 is the most powerful a hurricane can be, considered “catastrophic” by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Floridians were warned of torrential rain up to 1.5 ft, flash flooding, high winds, and storm surges, including possible surges of 10-15 ft. Concerns were also raised surrounding the falling of trees and power lines, causing lengthy power cuts and isolation of residential areas, potentially delaying rescue or return efforts.
Officials took these threats seriously, preparing the state’s largest evacuation effort. However, not all were able to leave, despite urging from officials, such as Tampa’s police chief, Lee Bercaw.
“My job is to reassure people they are going to be safe,” he said. “But in a time like this when this storm is coming and you are in an evacuation zone, I can’t reassure you that you are going to be safe. And I also can’t send my officers out in these conditions to help you.”
However, evacuating was not a viable option for everyone. Driving was impractical due to the heightened price of gas, heavy traffic jams leading out of the state, and the lack of fuel available for all residents, with nearly a quarter of Florida’s petrol stations out of fuel on Wednesday according to a tracker from GasBuddy.
Flights were also out of question for some due to plane tickets being unaffordable. President Biden opposed airlines hiking their prices and warned that leaving was a matter of “life and death.”
So, were all these warnings and precautions necessary? Hurricane Milton hit Florida near Siesta Key as a Category 3 storm, two levels lower than meteorologists had initially predicted. That does not mean that the hurricane was not catastrophic.
Tornadoes, floods, and storm surges were reported across Florida. Although the storm surges were far below the levels seen during Hurricane Helene, there were still at least 16 deaths attributed to the storm.
Following the storm, over 3 million people were left without power. Fallen trees and other dangerous debris made roads impassable, delaying rescue efforts. Further delays were caused by the collapsing of roads and pavements in Orange City, north of Orlando.
Despite these impacts being “not the worst case scenario,” as Governor Ron DeSantis puts it, many are concerned about the increased activity of hurricane season.
Rising average sea level temperatures due to climate change have led the National Oceanic Atmospheric Association (NOAA) to forecast the 2024 hurricane season as more active than usual.
Furthermore, A new study published by the World Weather Attribution group found that climate change was a key contributor in Hurricane Helene’s strength. The warmer waters of the Gulf of Mexico, made likely by human-caused warming, allowed for Hurricane Helene to form at the strength it was. Rainfall was made about 10% heavier and winds were about 13mph stronger as a result.
The same climate-related causes are believed to be the reason for Milton’s forming and strength, leading activists to further protest the state’s governor and his policies surrounding fossil fuels.
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