Less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene devastated parts of Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, and surrounding states, Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida in the evening on Oct. 9 as a Category 3 hurricane, causing power outages, heavy rain, tornadoes, and dangerous flash flooding.
After forming, Milton rapidly tripled in strength and became a Category 5 hurricane with 180 mph winds in less than 36 hours, AccuWeather stated, before weakening, as expected, to a Category 3 storm at landfall.
In advance of landfall, according to an Artemis report, Andrew Siffert, senior meteorologist at BMS Group, projected that insured losses from Milton could amount to tens of billions of dollars; however, at the time there was high uncertainty regarding the eventual landfall location and intensity, which would greatly influence the eventual cost for the industry.
Following are CLM's updates as Milton neared landfall, continuing through the latest updates today as the storm moved across the state of Florida
10/9/2024
Update, 8:15p.m.:
Hurricane Milton’s eye is nearing landfall close to Tampa, FL, as a rare extreme wind warning has been issued, according to AccuWeather. In addition, “multiple tornadoes have ripped across have ripped across the state, causing damage and adding to Milton’s life-threatening conditions.”
Hurricane Milton remains a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 120 mph, although “gusts can be locally higher,” reports AccuWeather. So far, over 500,000 homes and businesses across Florida are without power, CNN reports, citing PowerOutage.us. Outages will continue to climb, its continues, “as Milton tracks across the state as a hurricane overnight and its tropical storm-force winds roar hundreds of miles from its center.”
Milton is less than an hour away from making landfall, according to data from the National Hurricane Center.
Update, 9:20p.m.:
Hurricane Milton has made landfall near Siesta Key, FL, as a Category 3 hurricane, according to CNN. Power outages continue to spike and heavy rain is causing dangerous flash flooding.
Multiple fatalities have been reported from the Spanish Lakes Country Club in St. Lucie County, FL, according to CNN, “after a tornado outbreak hit the area.”
10/10/2024
Update, 1:30a.m.:
More fatalities have been reported from a St. Lucie County, FL mobile home retirement community due to tornadoes spurred from Hurricane Milton, according to CNN. “Around 200 people from state and local agencies are searching for people trapped at the retirement community where the tornado ‘left a path of destruction,’ [said St. Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pearson]. He added that search and rescue teams are facing 50 mph winds and rain as they look for those who may be stuck,” CNN reports.
Update, 1:50a.m.:
Milton is headed toward Orlando as a Category 1 hurricane, according to CNN. After the storm made landfall around 8:30p.m. on Wednesday as a Category 3 hurricane, “it brought flash flooding to Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, and Venice, with wind speeds at around 100 mph at most of these places, according to CNN meteorologist Chard Myers.” Over two million Floridians are currently without power throughout the state.
Multiple areas have seen well over a foot of rain, including St. Petersburg with 18.31 inches; McKay Creek with 14.63 inches; Clearwater Beach with 14.01 inches; Temple Terrace with 13.56 inches; and Baskin with 13.09 inches. Tampa received 9.93 inches of rainfall and Sarasota received 7.55 inches.
“Tampa’s October average is 2.34 inches, so the city has seen several months’ worth of rainfall so far. On Wednesday, the city saw 9.12 inches of rainfall, which is the third wettest day on record for the city,” CNN reports.
Update, 10:45a.m.:
More than 3 million Floridians are currently without power in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton's destruction, according to AccuWeather. Still Category 1 hurricane, the storm continues to affect Florida's Atlantic coast with strong winds. Conditions will continue to improve as Milton moves out to sea.
"As many as 45 tornoadoes were reported Wednesday ahead of Hurricane Milton's landfall," AccuWeather reports. "At a mobile home retirement community in St. Lucie, FL, four fatalities were reported when a tornado struck Wednesday afternoon. The county sheriff said hundreds of homes were demollished. Another tornado went through Fort Myers, ripping the roof off a home." Rescue efforts are currently underway across the state's hard-hit counties.
"Milton's prolific is causing major flooding on rivers that are also swelling to, or threating to hit, historic highs in places," reports CNN. "
Milton is the first hurricane to have passed within 50 miles of Tampa in over 100 years, CNN reports. It reached 180 mph, "making it the strongest hurricane ever so late in the season in the Gulf of Mexico. It is also tied for sixth strongest anywhere in the Atlantic Basin, at any point of this year."
Even so, FEMA Director Deanne Criswell states that Florida dodged the "worst-case scenario," and that impacts could have been significantly worse.
Update, 5:00p.m.
AccuWeather has realeased a preliminary loss estimate for the total damage and economic loss from Hurricane Milton, predicting it to be between $160 and $180 billion. "This is a preliminary estimate, as the storm effects are continuing to be felt, and some areas have not yet reported complete information about damage, injuries, and other impacts."
AccuWeather's Founder and Executive Chairman, Dr. Joel N. Myers, states, "'...the sum of two hurricanes in just three weeks elapsed time has a total damage and economic loss near 2% of the country's GDP, putting the Federal Reserve in a quandary...On the one hand, the Federal Reserve raises interest rates to reduce inflation. However, the storms cause inflation by increasing the costs of certain goods. On the other hand, the hurricanes are harmful to the economy causing some businesses to fail and others to struggle because of the disasters, so jobs are being lost, and people and overall businesses and the economy will face a long tail of economic impacts from the disasters.'"
In comparison, the total economic damages for Hurricane Helene were $225-250 billion. Hurricane Ian in 2022 caused $180-210 billion in damages; Hurricanes Harvey and Irma caused $190 billion and $80 billion in damages, respectively; Sandy in 2012 caused $210 billion in damages; and Katrina in 2005 caused $320 billion in damages, all adjusted for inflation.
So far, at least 340 people and 49 pets have been rescued in Florida, while the death toll has reached a total of nine people, CNN reports. The storm is now offshore and considered a post-tropical cyclone.
This article will be updated throughout the duration of the hurricane as more information becomes available.