Stark warnings have been made urging locals to evacuate “or die” after Hurricane Milton intensified to a Category 5 on Monday evening (October 7).
The potential “once in a lifetime” storm is bearing down on the Gulf of Mexico, leading the Florida mayor to encourage people to leave the area as soon as they can.
Milton had weakened slightly, leading forecasters to rate it as a Category 4 storm but it is expected to regain strength and remain “extremely dangerous” as it hits Florida by Wednesday, hitting the Tampa Bay area first.
The dangerous weather phenomenon is expected to hit just days after the area was blighted by Hurricane Helene.
Tampa mayor Jane Castor said on CNN: “If you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you’re gonna die.”
He said Hurricane Helene was a “wake-up call,” but Milton could be “literally catastrophic”.
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri added to the warning, saying he had no idea how long people would have to leave for. He said: “This is going to be bad. Everyone just needs to get out.”
Presidential hopeful Kamala Harris also issued an urgent warning to residents as the “life-threatening” Hurricane Milton approaches.
She said: “I cannot stress enough to all the folks in Florida, in the Tampa area, 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.”
But what do the different categories in a hurricane mean?
What are the hurricane categories?
The National Hurricane Center in the United States uses the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale to determine storm categories.
This rates storms based on the severity of their wind speed in a one to five rating. The rating system doesn’t take into account other potential deadly hazards, such as rainfall, flooding, or tornadoes.
Here are the five hurricane categories and what they mean:
Category 1 (max sustained winds of 74mph-95mph)
Very dangerous winds with maximum sustained speeds of between 74mph and 95mph will produce some damage to property, such as roofs, shingles, vinyl siding and gutters in well-built homes. Large branches will probably snap and trees with shallow roots may fall. Extensive damage to power lines and poles is likely, resulting in power outages for up to several days.
Category 2 (max sustained winds of 96mph-110mph)
Extremely dangerous winds with maximum sustained speeds of between 96mph and 110mph will cause extensive damage, including major roof and siding damage to buildings. Many trees with shallow roots will fall, with the potential to block roads. Power loss is expected, with total outages that could last from several days to weeks.
Category 3 (max sustained winds of 111mph-129mph)
Devastating damage is expected from winds, with maximum sustained speeds of between 111mph and 129mph, including major damage to buildings or removal of roof decking and gable ends. Many trees will fall and block numerous roads. Electricity and water are expected to be unavailable for several days to weeks after the storm passes.
Category 4 (max sustained winds of 130mph-156mph)
Catastrophic damage will occur from winds with maximum sustained speeds of between 130mph to 156mph, including severe damage to buildings, such as losing roof structure and/or some exterior walls. Most trees will be snapped or uprooted and power poles downed. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas, with power outages lasting weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months.
Category 5 (max sustained winds of 157mph or higher)
Catastrophic damage will occur from winds with maximum sustained speeds of 157mph or higher, meaning a high percentage of homes will be destroyed, with total roof failure and wall collapse. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas and power outages will last for weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months.
