Less than a month after Hurricane Helene carved a path of destruction in Florida, Hurricane Milton is barreling towards the state. The already powerful storm was gaining strength Tuesday and could double in size before slamming into west-central Florida late Wednesday.
"Milton has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida," John Cangialosi, a specialist with the National Hurricane Center, warned in an update Tuesday. Damaging winds, life-threatening storm surge and heavy rainfall could extend well outside the forecast cone, he said.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told Florida residents in the path of Milton that "time is running out" before landfall, likely as a Category 3 storm.
"There's no guarantee what the weather's going to be like starting Wednesday morning," DeSantis said at a briefing Tuesday. "You may have a window where it may be safe, but you may not. So, use today as your day to finalize and execute the plan that is going to protect you and your family."
Live updates:Hurricane Milton intensifies again, on cusp of a Category 5
What we know so far:When and where will Hurricane Milton make landfall?
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), said in a news release Sunday the agency is "prepared to respond and stands ready to support the state with any request for resources."
"Hundreds of FEMA staff are on the ground in Florida supporting Helene recovery and coordinating with the state to prepare people for the next storm," the news release said.
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell pushed back against former President Donald Trump’s claims about Hurricane Helene recovery efforts, saying she was disappointed in the misinformation he was spreading.
FEMA was forced to address misinformation on its webpage and social media platforms after Trump spread claims about hurricane relief efforts, including allegations that there are “no helicopters, no rescue” in North Carolina and that the federal government is only giving $750 to those who have lost their homes.
Vice President Kamala Harris also disagreed with Trump's claims and said that FEMA has resources for those who "desperately need them now," adding the public is "entitled to these resources."
"There is a lot of mis- and disinformation being pushed out there by the former president about what is available, in particular, to the survivors of Helene," Harris said in Maryland before departing for New York Monday.
Harris, while speaking with reporters, also urged "folks in Florida, in the Tampa area" to "please listen to evacuation orders."
"Please listen to your local officials, because I know a lot of folks out there have survived these hurricanes before — this one is going to be very, very serious," Harris said. "And I urge you to please just grab whatever you need. Listen to the orders you’re getting from your local officials. They know what they’re telling you, and they know what Milton is about to be. So, please do that."
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FEMA has also urged the public, especially those in the path of the hurricane and in evacuation zones to avoid falling for or spreading misinformation, and are encouraging residents to refer to official resources for the most accurate information.
"During disasters, it’s critical to avoid spreading false information," FEMA said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
FEMA has outlined the following tips to keep in mind while preparing for the hurricane:
All hurricanes and tropical storms in the Atlantic, including Milton, are named before the season begins from a list of names originated by the National Hurricane Centre and now maintained and updated through a strict procedure by the World Meteorological Organization, as per NHC.
The six lists "are used in rotation and re-cycled every six years," and are only amended if "a storm is so deadly or costly that the future use of its name for a different storm would be inappropriate for reasons of sensitivity." In those cases, the offensive name is retired and replaced during an annual meeting of the WMO committee.
The storm names for the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season include:
These names can be applied to hurricanes, tropical storms and other systems that originate in the Atlantic Ocean.
Contributing: Sudiksha Kochi, John Bacon, Trevor Hughes, Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
