Hurricane Milton: Florida braces for 'storm of the century'

Hurricane Milton, a category 5 storm, is expected to double its wind field before making landfall in the US late Wednesday or early Thursday. The storm could bring a storm surge of up to 15ft (4.5 metres) along a low-lying stretch of Florida’s west coast, affecting Tampa, St Petersburg, and Sarasota.

Described as the "storm of the century", Milton continues to sustain winds of 160mph (257km/h). It turned north-east overnight, about 300 miles (480km) south-west of Tampa, aiming towards heavily populated and vulnerable communities. The storm is expected to weaken slightly to a category 4 at landfall, with winds around 130mph.

The National Hurricane Center has warned that Milton "has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida."

In a morning update, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis cautioned residents, saying it is unclear where the storm’s eye will hit, but the impact will be widespread: “Absolutely every place on the west coast of Florida could get major storm surge.”

Tampa mayor Jane Castor urged residents to evacuate, warning of the deadly impact: "If you are in a single-story home that is hit by a 15ft storm surge, which means that water comes in immediately, there’s nowhere to go… that’s the coffin that you’re in."

Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued across 11 Florida counties, affecting around 5.9 million people. Authorities have stated that those choosing to stay must be prepared to fend for themselves. In the lead-up to Hurricane Helene, residents staying behind were asked to write their names and social security numbers on their bodies for easier identification postmortem.

The storm surge is expected to hit Fort Myers Beach, still recovering from Hurricane Ian two years ago, with concerns that debris from Hurricane Helene, which struck just two weeks ago, will become dangerous projectiles during Milton. Over 300 dump trucks have been deployed to clear debris, removing 1,300 loads.

In an alarming report, one resident described seeing bull sharks swimming through flooded streets after Hurricane Helene.

Regardless of where Milton makes landfall, extensive damage is expected as seawater funnels through coastal channels. Cody Fritz of the National Hurricane Center’s storm surge team warned that Florida’s west coast is particularly vulnerable to surges. “It doesn’t take much to push water over land that would normally be dry. It’s extremely vulnerable,” he told NBC News.

US Geological Survey scientist Kara Doran also highlighted the increased risk of permanent coastline changes, due to recent erosion from Helene. “The risk to communities cannot be overstated,” she said.

Residents attempting to leave have faced fuel shortages and gridlock. With few hotel rooms available and no flights out of the area, many remain trapped. Holiday resident Ashley Khrais described the situation: “It seems very, very scary, but there’s no way to leave.”

Others, like 71-year-old Mark Prompakdee, have opted to ride out the storm in a minivan on higher ground. “They’re saying, ‘Get out of here,’” he said. “Where?”

While some have chosen to stay, many appear to have heeded evacuation warnings. “If there’s any good news here, we toured Fort Myers Beach yesterday, and it looks like people have listened,” said NBC’s Jay Gray.

Despite efforts to board up homes and lay sandbags, there is widespread concern that this may be the most powerful storm many have experienced in the region.

As Milton approaches, the National Weather Service has warned of favourable conditions for tornadoes, even far from where the storm makes landfall. Airports in the area have been shut down and will not reopen until damage assessments are complete. Tampa International Airport, located in an evacuation zone, confirmed that it will not serve as a shelter for stranded travellers.