Where Is Hurricane Milton Expected to Make Landfall?

Hurricane Milton, currently churning in the Gulf of Mexico as a major storm, is expected to make landfall along Florida's west coast soon. Here’s a closer look at the projected path.

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October 9, 2024 10:35AM EDT
People walk past boarded up storefronts in Tampa ahead of Hurricane Milton's expected landfall in the middle of this week on October 8, 2024 in Florida. Hurricane Milton exploded in strength October 7 to become a potentially catastrophic Category 5 storm bound for Florida, threatening the US state with a second ferocious hurricane in as many weeks. (Photo by Bryan R. SMITH / AFP) (Photo by BRYAN R. SMITH/AFP via Getty Images)
Image Credit: AFP via Getty Images

Hurricane Milton has been downgraded to a Category 4 storm after fluctuating between Categories 4 and 5, and is moving across the Gulf of Mexico toward Florida, where millions have been ordered to evacuate. Less than two weeks after Helene impacted the southern United States, Milton is expected to make landfall as “a dangerous major hurricane,” according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Florida meteorologist John Morales became emotional while providing updates on Milton during an NBC affiliate WTVJ telecast on Monday, October 7. “Incredible, incredible hurricane,” Morales began, pausing momentarily. “It has dropped 50 millibars in 10 hours,” he added, tears welling in his eyes. “I apologize — this is just horrific,” he said.

Here’s everything you need to know about the storm’s current expected impact.

Where Will Milton Make Landfall?

Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall in the Manatee Couty/Sarasota County area on central Florida’s west coast, give or take 50 miles north or south, according to Rick Davis, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Tampa, who also advised people not to concentrate on where it could make landfall.

ANKARA, TURKIYE - OCTOBER 8: An infographic titled "Milton strengthens into powerful Category 5 hurricane" created in Ankara, Turkiye on October 8, 2024. (Photo by Yasin Demirci/Anadolu via Getty Images)
ANKARA, TURKIYE – OCTOBER 8: An infographic titled “Milton strengthens into powerful Category 5 hurricane” created in Ankara, Turkiye on October 8, 2024. (Photo by Yasin Demirci/Anadolu via Getty Images)

“We’re telling people not to focus on the exact center because as the system makes landfall, the eye is going to be getting larger, and the wind field is going to be expanding,” Davis said. “Even if you’re not directly in the path, the effects will be felt far and wide at the point of landfall.”

What Can Residents Expect from the Storm?

Residents should prepare for heavy rainfall, with amounts ranging from 5 to 12 inches statewide, and potentially up to 18 inches in central to northern areas of the Florida Peninsula. The National Hurricane Center has urgently advised that residents prepare for prolonged power outages and take measures to “protect life and property.” Additionally, the storm poses a significant risk of “life-threatening” flooding.

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor issued a stark warning to those who haven’t evacuated: “If you’re in a single-story house and we get a 15-foot surge, the water will come in immediately, and there’s nowhere to go. That home will ultimately become a coffin.”

She also bluntly stated that residents remaining in an evacuation area risk their lives, saying, “You’re going to die.”