Hurricane Milton Already Category 4 Storm with 150MPH Winds

#2 I read yesterday gov deSantis kicked open a debris dump off for this very reason.
floridapolitics.com

Why is the governor of Florida the only one that acts like they care? I mean really acts like a leader that gives a ----? It maybe off, but he appears driven.

What's wrong with American government, why don't they care about their citizens?

Very odd

Miami is fine. On East coast.

But Tony be careful the words "global climate change" have been banned by our governor. If we can't say the words the storms can't hurt us.

Is this our new normal, and if so, how are the Florida coasts going to remain habitable for human-built structures and life?
#6 | Posted by tonyroma

Stop with the dramatics

Florida wasn't habitable, until AC.

Look at the geography, it flat for a reason.

Hurricane Milton live updates: 'Potentially catastrophic' Category 5 storm takes aim at Florida
www.nbcnews.com

... Hurricane Milton 'explosively intensifies' with winds of 175 mph (2:02PM EDT)

Hurricane Milton has "explosively" intensified, with maximum sustained winds of 175 mph, according the latest bulletin from the National Hurricane Center.

The agency said Milton is now a "potentially catastrophic" Category 5 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, which ranks hurricanes from 1 to 5 based on a storm's maximum sustained wind speed.

"While fluctuations in intensity are expected, Milton is forecast to remain an extremely dangerous hurricane through landfall in Florida," the NHC said. ...

But Tony be careful the words "global climate change" have been banned by our governor.

Yeah, the fact that Gulf hurricanes now go from tropical storm wind velocities to 175 mph in 24 hours is simply Mother Nature becoming more efficient in her development abilities, right?

Doesn't have anything to do with the bathtub water temperatures in the Gulf, elevated due to man-caused factors?

Naw, it's simply gawd's will. He's just building bigger and better storms, that's all. Get used to it.

Hurricane Milton...
finance.yahoo.com

... Hurricane Milton's surge to Category 5 strength comes from high-temperature Gulf of Mexico waters that also intensified the deadly Helene less than two weeks ago, contributing to the new storm's odd west-to-east track that threatens Tampa, Florida.

"There is really no historical precedent for a track like this," said Ryan Truchelut, president of commercial forecaster WeatherTiger.

Though the calendar says October, the water is 86F (30C) in Mexico's Bay of Campeche, where Milton is gathering strength, and nearly that warm off Tampa, according to the National Data Buoy Center. Hurricanes draw power from hotter water, which acts as fuel for storms.

"The Gulf is still being summer-like with water temperatures," Truchelut said. Gulf waters averaged 78.4F in October 2023, according to the website sea temperature.info.

The balmy water has allowed Milton to rapidly intensify as it moves across the Gulf toward Florida's west coast, where it's forecast to make landfall Oct. 9. A storm rapidly intensifies when its winds grow in strength by 35 miles per hour or more in 24 hours. Milton met the definition in 12 hours Sunday, according to US National Hurricane Center records, and has now reached the top rung of the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale.

While the larger weather patterns pushing west to east aren't unusual in October, what is odd is the warm water that is sustaining such a powerful storm on this path. Depending on where along the coast it strikes, Milton has the potential to be the worst hurricane to hit Tampa since 1921. ...

I notice the local weatherpeople (CT and NYC) as the announce the weather on the TV news have a very somber look about them. Not the usual smiles.

From the one of local news stations (WABC-TV7 in NYC)...

Milton is...

- - - Third fastest rapid intensification, 95mph in 24 hours (Wilma, Felix)

- - - Cat 1 to Cat 5 in just 10 hours

- - - One of only two October Cat 5s in the gulf (Michael)

- - - Strongest hurricane in the Gulf this late in the season

5pm EDT update: Milton's winds are up to 180 mph.

Is this monstrosity headed over 200 mph?

West Coast Floridians get the hell out of Dodge as quickly as possible.

Hurricane Center 5PM (EDT) observation - sustained wind now up to 180mph.

@#16 ... West Coast Floridians get the hell out of Dodge as quickly as possible. ...

CT News had a reporter at the main CT airport near Hartford.

The planes coming back from Florida are full.

People cutting their vacations short.

I've been battening down the hatches and filling my sandbags. Got the campervan packed with supplies, ready to get the fam out of dodge at a moments notice.
The good thing is having all the local folks working together.

Why is the governor of Florida the only one that acts like they care? I mean really acts like a leader that gives a ----? It maybe off, but he appears driven.

You've gotta be more on top of it when you govern the flaccid dick and taint of the country.

Why is the governor of Florida the only one that acts like they care?

He acts like he cares. He doesn't care, but he acts like it. Onenut has turned into quite the Meatball Rhonda fanboi of late.

Is that who China wants on the top of the ticket after they wheelchair Lewzer out after his "medical incident"?

And people shake their heads and think I'm crazy for
moving to Maine in retirement. Or, perhaps I've just
looked at satellite and aerial imagery and studied the
environment for the last 25+ years.

I know what is coming.

Besides, Maine...snow...big whoop!

I will take the trade off for the temperate weather
during the summers, the multitude of lakes, streams,
and rivers to fish in, the ocean and mountain and forest
views, the abundant wildlife to marvel at and enjoy.

no earthquakes, no tornados, no hurricanes,
no flooding (where I have bought land),
just snow.

Snow I can deal with.

It maybe off, but he appears driven.

Oh, hell yes it's 'driven'. It's driven by DeSantis not wanting to get big-footed again like he was by Diamond Joe congenially interacting with a couple of his constituents as they appeared to ignore him the last time Ron decided to appear with Biden during a prior storm recovery tour.

It's sad that Kamala Harris is trying to politicize this hurricane..

x.com

During one hurricane briefing at the White House, Trump said, "I got it. I got it. Why don't we nuke them?" according to one source who was there. "They start forming off the coast of Africa, as they're moving across the Atlantic, we drop a bomb inside the eye of the hurricane and it disrupts it. Why can't we do that?" the source added, paraphrasing the president's remarks.

This is the kind of conversation we would be having (again) if Trumpy were the CIC.

we drop a bomb inside the eye of the hurricane and it disrupts it.

Bring lots of them. A hurricane releases the energy of a 10 megaton bomb every 20 minutes.

Snow I can deal with.

#22 | POSTED BY EARTHMUSE

Sorry. No where is really safe. Global climate change is global.

Who knows where extreme weather will hit?

It's raining in the Sahara Desert right now.

FYI- Ice age glaciers were one mile thick. That's a lot of snow to shovel. Personally I hate shoveling snow. Chipping ice is even worse.

Trump comments on Hurricane Florence. "This is a tough hurricane," he proclaims, "one of the wettest we've ever seen from the standpoint of water."

What a demented -------.

@#19 ... ready to get the fam out of dodge at a moments notice. ...

Hide from the wind, run from the surge.

One of the best August and Septembers I've ever experienced in Wisconsin. A little dry but plenty of sun. If Florida gets a smattering more rain and wind, it's a good trade off.

#30 | Posted by visitor_

Can't wait to hear your whining when all the climate refugees arrive and you try to blame democrats.

It's sad that Kamala Harris is trying to politicize this hurricane..

x.com

#24 | Posted by lfthndthrds

Trump/Putin 101- accuse your opponent of your own crimes

NOAA weather radio...
noaaweatherradio.org

The second Tampa Bay link works.

Ron De Santis has always acted as a leader that attempted to think, lead and improve in no muss, no fuss way. In other words knowing how to execute and deliver. So many pols are fickheads that get by with as little serious effort as possible. Their effort at solving problems and making things better for the people is minimal. DeSantis is the type always thinking about mission and improving. Military background is a tremendous motivator too for such an operational mindset. But not necessarily once they get into flag officer politics and axx kissing first levels and that can all start at lower levels.

Men that want to lead, protect and defend have such inherent beliefs. It doesn't come naturally to most women.

#34 | Posted by Robson

Thank you. I needed a good laugh.

Do Ron's stilts help him get through the flood waters?

Military background is a tremendous motivator

LOL. Military background. From Harvard Law School to a direct commission as officer in the JAG Corps. He's a regular H. Norman Schwarzkopf.

"Do Ron's stilts help him get through the flood waters?"

Ronnie's Go Go boots really make him go go go!

As of the 5PM (EDT) Hurricane Center report, Milton is back to a Cat 5 with 165mph sustained winds. 200mph wind gusts.

btw, kudos to the folk who fly those planes into the center of the hurricane to obtain these measurements.

Silly little intolerant Democrat weasels and hacks like Ian Sams that worry and fret about fashion,shoes and dress and say nothing about important stuff while doing nothing for any actual American except lie as Queen Kamala does about DeSantis

Every climate scientist right now:

We ------- told ya so.

Snow I can deal with.

#22 | POSTED BY EARTHMUSE

We got eight feet of snow in 48 hours last January.

Counting on it happening again this January

#40

I had a quick discussion with a neighbor while we were walking our dogs. I mentioned that I can't believe anyone can't see the evidence of man-caused factors driving the extreme weather events we're experiencing. I referenced that the waters in the Gulf are 86 degrees currently when their historical average on the same date has been 78. First thing out of his mouth was that we've had extreme hurricanes before, and it really kind of shocked me. I'm 65 years old and there's never been back-to-back landfalling Category 4-5 storms hit the US only 2 weeks apart, and almost in the exact same places. I've also never seen multiple hurricanes go from tropical storms to Cat 4/5 in 24-36 hours as storms are doing today.

I don't understand why people think their subjective opinions carry more truth than objective math and science. Researchers who warned us of our warming planet and how our weather events would become more extreme were not then and are not now articulating a political view. They're articulating what math, science, research and data tell them.

And with today's unprecedented entrance of storm preparedness and response into the cauldron of partisan politics, there's no denial of why skepticism has found a home in the Republican Party. It's just another way to falsely discredit hardworking Americans trying their best to educate and protect people facing the prospect of weather disrupting lives that have taken decades to build and wiping them away in a matter of minutes due to extreme weather events.

I really hate that facist douchebag, but I have to admit DeS is doing a decent job this week. He imported lineman from other states for post storm repair. Instead of letting hotels price gouge folks, they negotiated discount rates. They're providing free Uber and Lyft to shelters if you can't drive. Etc.

#43

He's had the most experience in hurricane response and fortunately Florida has created the muscle memory needed to help their citizens constantly facing strings of disruptive storms.

But the insurance bomb is getting ready to explode with a force greater than Milton's intensification. Insurance providers simply cannot take the losses from Florida's cycle of stronger than usual hurricanes. And for those not wealthy, the cost to live there is climbing far higher than a majority can afford if faced with having to repair or replace homes and apartments over and over again, not to mention where will all the displaced be housed should there be unprecedented widespread storm damage across a broad swaths of densely populated areas.

#43 Might as well give Biden a shout out too. He has been respectful and responsive to DeSantis, unlike Harris and her campaign, at least here in Floria. I said yesterday it's almost like team Biden is putting the monkey wrench into Harris run.

#44 We can only hope Danni meant it when she posted last night, "I'm going to sell my condo amd move the hell out of this God damned red state!" and takes a few others with her.

Florida. The freedom state. The state you have the freedom to flee from once or twice a year.

Today I am so very happy I chose California to live in. I have never had to flee the state on a moments notice with a terrible storm bearing down on me and my family and all my possessions. Today Florida makes me feel rich. Wealthy even.

Tomorrow maybe not so much. We do have wildfires. (Damn those Jewish space lasers!) But today ... very happy with my life choices. -D

How has Harris "and her campaign" been disrespectful and non-responsive to DeSantis? If Harris wins, it'd be in DeSantis' best interest to have a decent relationship with her. DeSantis never has struck me as particularly intelligent. He does go out of his way to prove that to me every time I hear him speak.

It's a good thing for Florida and DeSantis who will still be governor until 2027, that Harris isn't going to treat DeSantis the way Trump treats blue states and governors.

#46 Won't you consider opening your home to Danni? She will be unhoused shortly.

"Won't you consider opening your home to Danni?"

Danni would be welcome in our home. But it would be pretty crowded.

Anyone who can survive living with my family is welcome to try.

If Harris wins, it'd be in DeSantis' best interest to have a decent relationship with her.

No. DeSanturd has consistently flipped the finger at Biden and the democrats and every single time he's needed a socialist bailout for his red state ---hole the democrats have readily provided it. He knows he can continue to be as horrible as he can be to democrats and they will still bail his ass out over and over because they are helping the people of his state and not him.

It's not like when conOLD was refusing to give aid to California for wildfires because they are a "blue" state and had to be talked into helping Americans by his aides showing him where the money would be going were red districts.

Democrats aren't pieces of --- like DeSanturd and conOLD.

From our host, on IndieWeb Social

Evacuating Florida before a major hurricane can be a nightmare on the highways. Leave too late and you're driving at a crawl deep into the night, calling exit after exit to find no vacancies. 1/2
One time we found a room several hundred miles away on I-75 in Tifton, Georgia, at 3 a.m. A hundred cars in the parking lot had people sleeping in them because they were too exhausted to keep driving. 2/2

A spot-on set of comments.