Hurricane Milton, which has re-strengthened to a Category 5 hurricane, is quickly approaching for a direct hit on Florida’s gulf coast. Meteorologists claim the storm has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida, packing winds of up to 145 mph.
The hurricane’s outer bands will start lashing Florida’s west coast by Wednesday morning as Milton is expected to make landfall as a Category 3 storm. This comes less than two weeks after Florida was hit by Hurricane Helene, which caused widespread devastation across multiple states.
The Tampa Bay area is preparing for a storm surge that could reach up to 15 feet, potentially breaking the record set by Hurricane Helene just two weeks ago. Fort Myers could also see storm surges as high as 12 feet.
Milton’s massive size will bring tropical storm-force winds to nearly all of Florida, likely causing widespread damage to properties and trees, along with power outages lasting days or even weeks.
The heaviest rainfall is expected in areas from Tampa through Orlando to Daytona, where the highest level of flash flood risk is in place. Forecasts predict 5 to 12 inches of rain, with some spots possibly seeing up to 18 inches.
Although forecasts are not predicting a direct hit to Broward County, many parts of the area are starting to experience flooding caused by the rain. City leaders are working to prepare for the rain and strong winds Milton will bring. South Florida is predicted to see up to eight inches of rain this week.
Hurricane Milton’s approach has also prompted school closures across the region. The Broward County School Board announced that schools will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday due to the anticipated severe weather. To accommodate these closures, today’s schedule, originally set as a block day, was changed to include all six periods.
“We follow whatever Broward schools does,” explains PPCHS principal Mr. Bayer. “Since so much is uncertain, we decided to change the schedule to all six periods. We just have to pick up where we left off and try to balance out the schedule.”
The school administration plans to monitor the situation closely and provide updates as needed. In the meantime, students are urged to stay safe, follow local advisories, and prepare for the storm’s potential impact.
