Hurricane Milton
Hurricane Milton was one of the most powerful hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic Basin. After forming in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico in early October, Milton rapidly intensified into a Category 5 hurricane with estimated winds of about 180 mph. The storm tracked unusually eastward across the Gulf before making landfall near Siesta Key, Florida, as a Category 3 hurricane. Despite weakening before landfall, Milton caused major coastal damage, widespread flooding, and dozens of tornadoes across Florida’s peninsula.
Overview
- Peak Intensity: Category 5 (180 mph)
- Landfall Intensity: Category 3 (115 mph)
- Formation: October 5, 2024, in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico
- Landfall: Siesta Key, Florida, 8:30 PM EDT, October 9, 2024
- Minimum Pressure: 895 mb
Timeline
- October 5: A tropical depression forms in the southwest Gulf and quickly strengthens into Tropical Storm Milton.
- October 6: Milton becomes a hurricane as it moves slowly eastward.
- October 7: Rapid intensification occurs, with a small eye and peak winds near 180 mph.
- October 8: The storm grows in size and begins to weaken while heading toward Florida.
- October 9: Milton makes landfall near Siesta Key as a Category 3 hurricane, producing destructive winds and surge.
- October 10: The system weakens inland, bringing heavy rainfall and tornadoes to central and eastern Florida.
Impacts
- Storm Surge: Water levels rose 6–9 feet above ground from Venice to Boca Grande, with locally higher values near Manasota Key. Severe coastal flooding and erosion were observed.
- Rainfall: Totals reached up to 20 inches around the Tampa Bay region, causing widespread flooding.
- Wind Damage: Strong Category 3 winds damaged buildings and power infrastructure along Florida’s Gulf Coast.
- Tornadoes: Around 45 tornadoes occurred across the Florida Peninsula, including several rated EF-3 near Fort Pierce and Vero Beach.
Source
The information above is sourced from the National Hurricane Center’s Tropical Cyclone Report. You can view the full document here.
Media
Photos
Videos
Videos coming soon.
Data
Multi-Panel Plots
