After Helene, Florida Gears Up For Another Devastating Hurricane

Florida’s Gulf Coast, still grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, is now bracing for another major hurricane. Tropical Storm Milton is rapidly intensifying and is expected to hit the region as a Category 3 hurricane by mid-week.

What Happened: Milton’s top winds reached 60 mph early Sunday, while it was approximately 860 miles west-southwest of Tampa.

The US National Hurricane Center anticipates the storm to escalate into a Category 3 hurricane, potentially reaching 120-mph winds by the time it makes landfall on Wednesday. In response, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) has declared a state of emergency in 35 counties.

Brandon Buckingham, a meteorologist at AccuWeather Inc., told Bloomberg that the situation as “scary” and urged residents not to take the threat lightly. He expects conditions to deteriorate significantly by late Tuesday or Tuesday night, with Wednesday being the most impactful day.

Also Read: How Hurricane Helene Could Disrupt Global Semiconductor Supply Chain, And Potentially Drive Inflation Higher

Milton is set to be the second major hurricane to hit the US in a span of two weeks, following Helene, which resulted in losses and damages amounting to $250 billion and claimed at least 225 lives.

This hurricane season has already witnessed 13 storms forming across the Atlantic Ocean, with four hurricanes, including Helene and Beryl in July, hitting the US.

Why It Matters: As Milton advances eastward across the Gulf, it is expected to gain strength from the warm water and minimal adverse atmospheric conditions, according to Jack Beven, a senior hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Center. However, it might weaken slightly due to dry air and wind shear as it approaches the shore.

Beven has urged residents along the Florida shoreline to prepare for “a powerful hurricane with life-threatening hazards” expected to affect parts of the Florida west coast around midweek.

Read Next: 

Hurricane Helene Devastates Southeastern U.S., Slamming Infrastructure And Leaving Millions Powerless

This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.