A weather alert is displayed on a phone as Hurricane Milton churns in the Gulf of Mexico on October 07, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. Milton, which comes on heels of the destructive Hurricane Helene, has strengthened to a Category 5 storm as it approaches Florida’s Gulf Coast near Tampa, where it is projected to make landfall Wednesday. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
The 11 AM update is out for October 8th and it's exactly what we expected. After Hurricane Milton lost some of it's punch during an eyewall replacement cycle, it's getting stronger again.
10:00 AM CDT Tue Oct 8
Location: 22.7°N 88.4°W
Moving: ENE at 9 mph
Min pressure: 929 mb
Max sustained: 150 mph
Hurricane Milton is re entering a period of intensification, but the path remains the same. As you can see in the graphic, hurricane warnings extend all the way down through Collier County.
Also On The 11 Am Update
Even Key West is under a hurricane watch as the storm continues to grow. As Milton evolves it's becoming a much larger storm than it was just yesterday. There's also added storm surge announcements for Florida's east coast. Here's a closer look at the anticipated landfall.
That's a Category 2 Storm Near Orlando
Tampa is going to take serious damage from the storm, but the 11 AM update is also showing very destructive winds and rains inland in areas that don't normally see this. Both Disney World and Universal have their parks decorated for Halloween and they could see winds in excess of 100 mph.
The Waffle House Index
It's an old concept that may have actually come from someone at FEMA. Here's how the index is explained, from the Waffle House website: "Green means the restaurant is serving a full menu, a signal that damage in an area is limited and the lights are on. Yellow means a limited menu, indicating power from a generator, at best, and low food supplies. Red means the restaurant is closed, a sign of severe damage in the area or unsafe conditions.
“If you get there and the Waffle House is closed?” FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate has said. “That’s really bad. That’s where you go to work.”
The Waffle House in Cape Coral is closed.
That's it for the 11 AM update, with the storm expected to hit late Wednesday night, the models are all in agreement on where Milton is going. Which is good for Southwest Florida, but not for the Tampa area. Stay safe everyone, more info on the storm is on our Hurricane Central page.
