As of October 2024, 51 counties in Florida are under a state of emergency ahead of Hurricane Milton.
These include major counties like Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Lee, Hillsborough, and Monroe. The declaration was made in anticipation of the hurricane, which is expected to bring significant impacts such as storm surges, flooding, and strong winds.
The cone of the hurricane extends from Perry in the north to the Everglades in the south.
Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Glades, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Nassau, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, and Volusia have declared a state of emergency.
Hurricane Milton is expected to be a more destructive storm compared to Hurricane Helene, which made landfall just two weeks earlier. Both hurricanes are powerful, but their potential impacts differ significantly due to a few key factors.
Size and Strength
Hurricane Milton rapidly intensified into a Category 5 storm, with winds exceeding 157 mph, while Helene was a Category 4 storm at its peak. Milton’s rapid intensification, fueled by warm Gulf waters, is expected to produce stronger wind speeds and a more expansive storm surge, particularly in low-lying areas of Florida’s west coast, such as Tampa Bay.
In contrast, Helene, while damaging, did not reach the same level of intensity, though it still caused significant flooding and storm surges along the Florida coastline.
Milton’s strength has drawn comparisons to historical hurricanes like Katrina, due to the potential for widespread damage. Helene’s landfall in the Big Bend region of Florida resulted in considerable flooding and storm surges reaching up to 15 feet in some areas.
However, Milton threatens a larger area and denser population centers, making it particularly concerning for urban regions like Tampa, which has not experienced a direct hit by a major hurricane in over a century.
Geographic Impact
The geographic area affected by Hurricane Milton is significantly larger than that impacted by Helene. While Helene caused catastrophic flooding primarily in Florida’s Big Bend region, Milton is projected to strike the highly populated Tampa Bay area.
This region, home to over 3 million people, is considered especially vulnerable due to its coastal location and its historical lack of direct hurricane strikes.
Milton’s potential damage is exacerbated by the fact that the region is still dealing with the aftermath of Helene, which left behind debris that could become dangerous projectiles in Milton’s high winds. This could amplify the destruction caused by the storm.
Storm Surge and Flooding
Milton’s projected storm surge is estimated to be between 8 and 12 feet, particularly in the Tampa Bay region, which could lead to severe flooding in coastal and low-lying areas.
Rainfall totals could reach up to 15 inches in some locations, contributing to flash flooding and prolonged waterlogging in affected regions.
Helene’s storm surge and rainfall were significant, but Milton’s broader impact area and stronger surge height make the risk of more widespread flooding much higher.
Economic and Infrastructural Damage
Hurricane Helene caused billions of dollars in damage, particularly through flooding in urban areas and destruction of infrastructure along the Gulf Coast. Helene’s impacts were felt across six states, but Florida’s Big Bend region bore the brunt of the storm. In contrast, Milton threatens to affect a far larger population and critical infrastructure along the densely developed west coast of Florida.
Florida is still recovering from Helene, and emergency services are strained as they prepare for Milton’s arrival.
The rapid succession of these storms has left little time for cleanup and repairs, meaning that the state is particularly vulnerable to additional damage from Milton.
Evacuations and Preparations
Both hurricanes triggered widespread evacuations. As Milton approaches, over 35 counties in Florida have been declared under a state of emergency, and evacuation orders have been issued for millions of residents.
The state’s emergency response is racing to clear debris from Helene to avoid compounding the damage with additional flying projectiles.
In summary, while both Helene and Milton are dangerous hurricanes, Milton is poised to cause more significant destruction due to its greater strength, the larger geographic area at risk, and the vulnerable state of Florida’s infrastructure in the wake of Helene.
The potential for devastating storm surges, widespread flooding, and damage to major urban centers like Tampa makes Milton a potentially historic and more impactful storm than Helene.