Hurricane Milton Threatens Florida After Slamming Yucatan

Hurricane Milton, a Category 4 storm, weakened slightly as it targeted Florida after impacting Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Expected to hit near Tampa Bay, evacuations were ordered for over a million people. The storm is forecasted to cause significant damage, with catastrophic storm surges predicted along Florida's coast.

Hurricane Milton, once a Category 5 storm, has weakened slightly to a formidable Category 4 as it makes its way towards the Florida coast, following a destructive path through Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. As Floridians brace for impact, over a million residents along the west coast have been ordered to evacuate, with Milton expected to make landfall near the Tampa Bay area. The densely populated region is still recovering from Hurricane Helene's devastation just two weeks prior.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center has forecasted that Milton's winds may slow to 145 mph before reaching Florida, but the storm remains powerful enough to inflict catastrophic damage, including prolonged power outages. Fueled by the Gulf of Mexico's warm waters, Milton has broken records, becoming the third-fastest intensifying storm in Atlantic history, escalating rapidly from a tropical storm to Category 5 in under 24 hours.

Experts highlight the unusual path of Milton, noting its eastward trajectory across the Gulf to Florida, a rare occurrence with significant implications for storm surge predictions. The hurricane is poised to unleash storm surges of 10 to 15 feet along coastal areas around Tampa Bay. Officials have been coordinating evacuation efforts, stressing the urgency for residents in low-lying areas to take shelter. Meanwhile, concerns about traffic congestion and fuel shortages are mounting as citizens prepare to flee the oncoming storm.

(With inputs from agencies.)