Hurricane Milton Gains Strength as It Heads Toward Florida: DeSantis

Milton has become a dangerous Category 4 hurricane as it churns toward Florida’s western coastline, prompting evacuations and storm surge watches in a region that’s still recovering from Helene’s devastation. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has already declared a state of emergency in 51 counties and says residents need to get ready now. Hurricane Helene struck the state last month and killed at least 227 people.

Milton strengthened into a Category 5 hurricane as it bears down on Florida’s west coast, where residents have begun to flee inland.

Milton’s top winds have reached 160 miles (257 kilometers) per hour, up from 90 mph at 1 a.m. local time Monday, the US National Hurricane Center said. This makes Milton one of the most powerful storms produced in the Atlantic this year, rivaled only by Hurricane Beryl, which raked Texas, Mexico and the Caribbean in July.

With winds this intense, Milton is capable of collapsing homes, flattening trees and triggering power outages that could last weeks to months. It’s difficult for hurricanes to maintain their maximum power for long, however, so Milton may weaken as it nears Florida. Only four Category 5 hurricanes have hit the US mainland, including Michael, which struck Florida’s Panhandle in 2018.

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