As Milton grew in size and approached Florida’s Gulf Coast at major hurricane strength Wednesday, its outer bands were spawning an outbreak of damaging tornadoes across the state. The storm is predicted to make landfall Wednesday night, striking a densely populated zone that includes Tampa, Sarasota and Fort Myers.
“If Milton stays on its course, this will be the most powerful hurricane to hit Tampa Bay in over 100 years,” the National Weather Service warned.
The storm was at Category 4 strength Wednesday afternoon, with its central winds at a sustained 130 mph. Regardless of its category at landfall, it is forecast to generate an ocean surge that could inundate the hardest-hit areas with 10 to 15 feet of water, resulting in extensive damage. The storm prompted what could be Florida’s largest evacuation since Hurricane Irma in 2017, and officials say the time to prepare for the storm has nearly run out.
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