Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog
The National Hurricane Center has released a new report on the damage caused by Hurricane Milton last October, according to WPTV.
The analysis concluded that Milton, one of the strongest hurricanes on record in the Atlantic basin, caused 15 deaths, 12 in Florida and three in Mexico. Six people died in a tornado near Fort Pierce and Vero Beach. Four people were killed by falling trees and two deaths were due to freshwater flooding.
The storm had an estimated economic cost of over $34 billion, almost all of it in Florida.
Hurricane Milton made landfall Oct. 9 at Siesta Key on the west coast of the Florida peninsula as a Category 3 hurricane, causing major damage in the Sarasota and Tampa Bay areas. At one point it reached Category 5 intensity.
In addition to causing damaging storm surge to the west coast, the report said Milton caused 45 known tornadoes on land and a tornadic waterspout over Lake Okeechobee.
Storm surge inundation of 6–9 faeet above ground level was seen from Venice southward to Boca Grande, with an isolated peak of up to 10 feet estimated near Manasota Key. The report noted that Milton produced a swath of heavy rain across portions of the central and northern Florida Peninsula, and the maximum rainfall was 20.40 inches near St. Petersburg.
No details were available about how many structures were destroyed or damaged by the storm. It was noted that “the area of the Florida west coast most affected by Milton had also been affected by Hurricane Helene two weeks before, which complicates damage assessments.”
One section of the report examined the forecasts and warnings about the approaching hurricane. It found
“The genesis of Milton was very poorly forecast,” the report said. The first mentions of a possible storm in a seven-day forecast gave the system less than a 40% chance of development. “However, 90 hours before genesis (the formation of cyclonic circulation), the probabilities were lowered to near 0%, and they were not raised above that level until 18 hours before genesis,” the report said
Reasons for the poor forecasts included early-model forecasts showing development in the Caribbean Sea rather than the Gulf; forecast models were inconsistent; and a weather front and associated upper-level winds made it difficult to determine how favorable the environment was for genesis over the Gulf.
The report also concluded none of the intensity guidance performed well on Milton. The storm intensified far more and much faster than anticipated Oct. 5-7.
“The poor forecasts were likely due to Milton’s proximity to the front and an area of strong vertical shear, which led to an underestimation of how favorable the environment was for strengthening.” The report said regional models did a better job of forecasting than the official forecast.
Hurricane Milton, along with Hurricane Helene, caused widespread damage for residents of Florida. Your chances of speeding up your recovery after a hurricane are stronger the sooner you get legal representation. With multiple locations in Florida — from Gainesville to Miami — our Florida Hurricane and Storm Damage Attorneys at Whittel & Melton are ready to help you recover. We have the expertise to assist you in obtaining what you are legally entitled to, regardless of whether you are facing severe property damage, severe injuries, or the tragic aftermath of a fatality. Give us a call at 866-608-5529 or contact us online to set up a free consultation regarding your case.