Cars fill the highways out of Florida. Hardly anyone drives toward the state. Everyone is fleeing the path of Hurricane Milton. Forecasters said the storm would likely reach land between late Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon.
Meteorologists (weather experts) say Milton will hit south of Tampa, Florida. More than 3 million people live in that area. A hurricane hasn’t struck Tampa directly in over 100 years.
On Tuesday, Milton was a Category 5 hurricane. That’s the strongest type. Its winds blow faster than 157 miles per hour. On Wednesday morning, it weakened to Category 4.
Floridians were already dealing with the aftermath of another storm. Hurricane Helene reached land on September 26. It cluttered the coast with debris. Now workers hurry to clear the mess. If they don’t, Milton’s wind could pick up the debris. Fallen trees and other junk could fly through the air. That would cause even more damage and danger.
Wind isn’t the only problem. Experts say the storm surge (floodwaters) could reach 15 feet. That’s enough to cover a one-story house. Tampa’s mayor urged people in mobile homes to flee. Some families say they don’t have the money to leave.
“We must be prepared for a major, major impact to the west coast of Florida,” says Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
President Joe Biden cancelled an overseas trip. He stayed home to monitor the coming storm. He warns Milton “could be one of the worst storms in 100 years to hit Florida.”
Florida’s officials ordered many people to evacuate. The Tampa International Airport halted flights on Tuesday morning.
Scientists say this year has a strange hurricane season. In July, Hurricane Beryl became the earliest storm on record to reach Category 5 status. Five hurricanes formed between September 26 and October 6. The previous record? Just two.
News of storms can be frightening. When the disciples met a storm at sea, they were fearful. They shook Jesus awake. Jesus calmed the storm with His words. He asked them, “Why are you so afraid?” (Mark 4:40) He was always in control, even when He was sleeping. He’s still in control today. We can trust in Him.
“Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” — Mark 4:41
