Tropical Storm Milton: Florida residents are urged to prepare for another hurricane just days after Helene

CNN
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Florida communities are being urged to prepare for a potential Category 3 hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico, just days after Hurricane Helene made landfall in the state. It killed at least 20 people in Florida, left thousands without power and left a trail of debris.

While the state is still dealing with clearing the debris from Helene – which made landfall in Florida's Big Bend as a Category 4 on September 26, leaving a 500-mile path of destruction with catastrophic flooding and devastating winds – it is now involved to combat Tropical Storm Milton.

The storm is expected to “intensify rapidly as it moves east-northeast across the Gulf of Mexico, reaching or near major hurricane strength when it approaches the west coast of the Florida Peninsula midweek said the National Hurricane Center.

“The big question is how quickly and by how much the storm will strengthen,” the hurricane center said.

Milton is expected to make landfall in Florida with strength up to Category 3 and winds of 120 miles per hour. Hurricane and storm surge warnings are expected to be issued for parts of Florida's coast on Sunday – with dangerous storm surges expected for some areas just hit by Helene.

“Regardless of the details, there is increasing confidence that a strong hurricane with life-threatening dangers will impact parts of Florida's west coast around the middle of next week,” the hurricane center said, adding that rainfall will hit parts of Florida on Sunday and Monday.

Milton formed in the western Gulf Saturday morning, just hours after becoming a tropical depression, the National Hurricane Center said in a special warning. The 13th named storm is coming weeks ahead of schedule, as it typically doesn't occur until October 25th.

“Official intensity forecasts are for Milton to become a hurricane in approximately 36 hours and a major hurricane in 72 hours,” according to the National Hurricane Center said Saturday.

The rapidly intensifying storm could have life-threatening impacts on parts of Florida's west coast starting late Tuesday or Wednesday. With very low vertical wind shear and incredibly warm sea surface temperatures, Milton will be able to gain steady to rapid strength over the next few days.

In preparation for the storm, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 35 counties on Saturday, according to a statement from his office. The storm could delay Helene recovery efforts and impact communities along Florida's Gulf Coast that are still recovering from Helene, the release said.

“As many continue to recover from Hurricane Helene, I have directed the Florida Division of Emergency Management and the Florida Department of Transportation to coordinate all available personnel and resources to assist local communities in expediting debris removal in affected areas to support,” DeSantis said in a social media post Saturday. “We will continue to provide government resources to prepare for an efficient search and rescue operation, restoring power and clearing roads.”

According to the hurricane center, heavy rainfall is becoming a growing concern. “Precipitation amounts of 5 to 8 inches, locally up to 12 inches, are expected in portions of the Florida Peninsula and the Keys through Wednesday night,” the center said. “This rainfall poses a risk of flash flooding, urban and territorial flooding, and minor to moderate river flooding.”

There is also an increasing risk of a storm surge for the western Florida peninsula late Tuesday or Wednesday. Damaging winds, tornadoes and water spouts are also possible next week.

It's only been a little over a week since Helene criticized the state, but officials across Florida are already urging residents to prepare for another potentially life-threatening storm as many are still in recovery mode.

“It's starting again,” police in Naples, Florida, said, adding that concerns about heavy rain and flooding would increase from Sunday into the middle of next week. Authorities urged residents not to drive on roads where there was water.

Once again, Florida emergency responders must announce sandbag distribution locations. Multiple sandbag sites will be open across counties to prepare for possible storm impacts, the Florida Division of Emergency Management announced Saturday.

The city of Fort Myers Beach warned residents to “stay vigilant and prepared” and said residents could pick up sandbags at city hall.

“Those living in flood-prone areas should be aware that the city's stormwater system cannot mitigate water seeping through the seawalls from the back bay,” the city said in a Facebook post.

In the city of Sanibel, which received more than 50 inches of rain ahead of the storm surge caused by Helene, residents and business owners were urged to prepare for the storm's impacts “as quickly as possible.”

“Residents and business owners should anticipate that a tropical storm or Hurricane Milton will likely result in flooding in Sanibel,” the city said in a news release Saturday. “Residents and business owners who are in low-lying areas of Sanibel or who may not feel safe in their building during a storm should consider finding alternative shelter prior to the storm’s arrival.”

Since Helene reached the city, emergency crews across the island have worked to clear stormwater drains and debris and manage weirs to increase stormwater storage capacity, the city said.

Sanibel officials urged residents to remove debris from drainage areas near their homes or businesses ahead of heavy rains.

Another area in Milton's potential path is Pinellas County, where more than 28,000 properties were damaged or destroyed by Helene. Officials said it's too early to tell what impact Milton will have on the county, but residents can prepare by picking up sandbags at county locations starting Sunday.

As part of the effort to clean up debris caused by Helene, the governor ordered that “disaster debris management sites and landfills in all counties affected by Hurricane Helene remain open and allow for 24-hour debris dumping,” his press release said offices on Saturday said. This is part of the state's efforts to ensure that as much of Helene's debris as possible is removed and disposed of before the impending storm, the release said.

In hard-hit Pinellas County, where thousands of homes were destroyed or wiped out by Helene, displaced residents picking up the rubble will soon have to endure another storm.

“Some of us cry, some of us hug, and then we just put on our big girl panties and carry on,” St. Petersburg resident Debbie Bright told CNN affiliate WFTS. Her home was destroyed and everything she owns is now in a 5-by-10-foot storage unit, she said.

Bright said she was completely shocked when she saw the devastation in her neighborhood.

“I have four grandchildren and this is the only place they have ever known and they come in. And they're crying because this was nanny and daddy's house,” Bright said.

Bright stayed in Palm Harbor during the storm, but the storm surge came through her back door and swept much of her furniture into the bay, she said.

“We're on day seven here and when I got here this morning I was sitting in a chair and we were crying and then we're fine and then we're crying again,” Bright told WFTS.

The only thing keeping her community going are supportive neighbors, Bright said. All she can hope for at this point is that her community recovers quickly.

“It’s kind of one hour at a time, one day at a time,” Bright said.