Hurricane Milton makes landfall in Florida: Live updates

Topline

Nearly 2 million homes and businesses faced power outages Wednesday evening, just hours after Hurricane Milton spawned multiple tornadoes and triggered flash flooding, hours after hitting Florida's Gulf Coast – where millions of people were ordered to evacuate as forecasters warn that “One of many” could be “the most destructive hurricanes ever” for the west-central part of the state.

Important facts

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Crucial quote

“I've often said that (when) you want to argue with Mother Nature, she wins 100 percent of the time,” said Tampa Mayor Jane Castor. “And people who are inside say you are in a one-story house. Twelve feet above this house. So when you’re in it, you know, basically that’s the coffin you’re in.”

What is a storm surge and where could it be worst?

A storm surge is the unusual rise in sea water levels caused by a storm. The NHC warned that the combination of storm surge and high tide will cause areas near the coast that are normally dry to be flooded. From Anna Maria Island to Boca Grande, storm surge could reach 9 to 13 feet above the ground. The rise is expected to reach 8 to 12 feet between Boca Grande and Bonita Beach and could reach those heights in Charlotte Harbor as well. A rise of six to nine feet is expected for Tampa Bay.

Where were tornado warnings issued?

Numerous tornado warnings were issued Wednesday afternoon across southern Florida and across the Interstate 95 corridor. Tornado warnings are in effect for most of Central and South Florida through Wednesday evening. The NHC noted that the “threat of strong tornadoes” remains through Wednesday evening.

What did politicians say about Hurricane Milton?

President Joe Biden addressed the country from the White House on Tuesday morning, calling Hurricane Milton “a matter of life and death.” He encouraged Florida residents in the storm's path to evacuate “immediately” and postponed a planned international trip to Germany and Angola “to monitor preparations for and response to Hurricane Milton.” Vice President Kamala Harris and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis found themselves in a strange he-said-she-said situation about the approaching storm, with Harris accusing DeSantis of not answering her calls and “playing political games.” DeSantis said Harris “doesn't play a role in that” and that he has communicated well with Biden, who also said he has been in contact. Biden said he gave DeSantis his personal phone number and told him to call if there was anything the federal government could do to help. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said in an interview with CNN: “I can say without any dramatization: If you choose to stay in one of these evacuation areas, you will die.” Vice President Kamala Harris told CNN on Wednesday afternoon, that even if the storm's category changes, “that doesn't really represent a downgrade in terms of the danger and dangerous potential of the storm,” and urged Floridians not to rely on the designation “to their detriment.” “

How will Hurricane Milton impact travel to Florida?

Tampa International Airport closed at 9 a.m. Tuesday and plans to reopen later this week “as soon as it is safe to do so,” and Orlando International Airport closed at 8 a.m. Wednesday. More than 1,700 flights to and from the United States were canceled as of 8:50 a.m. Wednesday, and another 350 were delayed. According to Flight Aware, Orlando had by far the most cancellations: 398 flights departing there and 423 flights arriving there were canceled, followed by Tampa with about 190 flights canceled each way. Major airlines have told passengers they can change their plans without paying a difference in fares. Walt Disney World Resort is closing its parks starting Wednesday morning – the news came after Goldman Sachs predicted the company would likely suffer a nine-figure financial hit from the storm. Universal Resort Orlando announced Tuesday afternoon that it will close at 2 p.m. EDT on Wednesday and remain closed on Thursday. Legoland Florida Resort and SeaWorld Orlando are both closed Wednesday and Thursday, and Busch Gardens Tampa is now closed through Thursday.

Are Waffle Houses closed due to Hurricane Milton?

Yes. Breakfast chain Waffle House's Tampa-area locations will close ahead of its scheduled landing in Milton. The company, in a social media post to justify the decision, cited the so-called “Waffle House Index,” a reference to a scale invented by former Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administrator Craig Fugate to measure severity of a natural disaster. When Waffle Houses are open in an area and offer a full menu, this is green on the index, a limited menu is yellow on the scale, meaning the local area may be without power or water, and the index changes to red, If this is the case, locations will be closed, suggesting the local community will need significant help.

Important background

Milton will be the second major hurricane to hit Florida in two weeks. Hurricane Helene hit the state on September 26, killing at least 20 people in Florida before devastating parts of the southeastern United States. More than 220 people have died and hundreds more are still missing, with western North Carolina bearing the brunt of flooding that the state's governor said has wiped communities “off the map.” In Florida, people are still working to clear debris from Helene as the next storm hits. Ahead of Hurricane Milton, Hillsborough County, home to Tampa, ordered evacuations for areas near Tampa Bay and for all mobile and manufactured homes through Tuesday evening. Lee County, home to Fort Myers, issued a mandatory evacuation order for the island of Fort Myers Beach. Additional mandatory evacuation orders were issued in Pinellas County, Pasco County and Manatee County. DeSantis said Tuesday he doesn't know exactly how many people want to evacuate because of Hurricane Milton, but he believes those who saw Hurricane Helene will be particularly motivated to leave the area.

tangent

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has said it is grappling with “extremely damaging” false narratives circulating about Hurricane Helene, which hit the US two weeks ago. FEMA chief Deanne Criswell said the misinformation about the storm and the federal government's response was the “worst” she had ever seen, as former President Donald Trump and his allies sharply criticized the agency. Trump falsely claimed that FEMA was unable to adequately respond to the storm because it had diverted so much money to assisting migrants on behalf of Vice President Kamala Harris. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said the agency is “meeting immediate needs with the money we have.” Other rumors suggest that FEMA is withholding aid from areas that have voted Republican in the past and that the agency is providing only $750 to disaster survivors to aid their recovery.

Further reading

ForbesWhy officials warn against taking Milton seriously – even if the rating falls to Category 3From Mary Whitfill RoeloffsForbesHurricane Milton reaches red on the “Waffle House Index” – the scale for natural disasters, explainedFrom Mary Whitfill RoeloffsForbesBiden Rebukes Trump and Marjorie Taylor Green Over Hurricane Misinformation: 'Beyond Ridiculous'From Molly BohannonForbesHurricane Milton may not be a “Category 6” – but some researchers think it's time to introduce a new level for the strongest stormsFrom Mary Whitfill RoeloffsForbesFEMA Criticizes Misinformation: The Campaign to Politicize Hurricane Helene, ExplainedFrom Molly Bohannon