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An already ominous forecast has grown even scarier.
According to multiple reports, Hurricane Milton has now been upgraded to a Category 5 storm.
And the race to salvage an already-battered Florida is officially on.
On Friday, the Naples Police Department tried to temper concerns with a joking Facebook post about Milton:
“Well, folks…here we go again!” the Naples police posted, before noting that a “lot of rain” was expected with Milton.
According to Fox Weather, a “lot of rain” will also now be accompanied by winds that can reach 180 mph.
“Mandatory evacuations are underway across the west coast of Florida as millions of residents prepare for life-threatening impacts from Hurricane Milton, which continues to rapidly intensify over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and strengthened into a powerful Category 5 storm,” Fox reported.
The outlet, quoting the National Hurricane Center, reported that Milton continues to “explosively intensify.”
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Fox described the situation in Florida as “dire,” and that might be an understatement.
Recall, it was just a few weeks ago on Sept. 26 that then-Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida — itself “only” a Category 4 storm — bringing with it untold destruction to the Sunshine State and beyond.
According to the Associated Press, Milton could make landfall in the Tampa Bay region on Wednesday.
As the AP noted, the area “has not endured a direct hit by a major hurricane in more than a century.”
While Tampa Bay avoided a direct hit by Helene, that particular storm is complicating efforts to withstand Milton.
“Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday that it was imperative for debris from Helene to be cleared ahead of Milton’s arrival, so the pieces cannot become projectiles,” the AP reported.
One local echoed the AP’s description of “projectiles” when it came to the leftover debris of Helene’s destruction.
“If this one does hit, it’s going to be flying missiles,” one local told The Associated Press. “Stuff’s going to be floating and flying in the air.”
On top of the concerns about “flying missiles,” there’s also the looming specter of FEMA issues.
Questions about the competency and funding of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency linger in the aftermath of the Helene response.
Evacuation efforts are underway, but, per Fox, local authorities are warning that time is rapidly dwindling ahead of Wednesday’s expected landfall.
Deadly storm surges are expected to reach up to 12 feet.
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