Hurricane Milton Heading To Cat. 4., Will Maul Central/South Florida. Not Louisiana's Storm

Before I left for the beach, I mentioned in my last post that the threat to the northern 
Gulf was decreasing.  Nothing has changed, except Hurricane Milton formed and all signs point towards a Cat. 4 or 5 strength as he crosses the Loop Current in the southern Gulf.  NHC is already sounding the alarm for a life changing storm where the eyewall crosses the coast.  I've been watching how the centerline track has shifted to the south from over Tampa to now over Sarasota.  It's way too soon to bet the house on where Milton will go.  However, his impacts will cover most of central and south Florida with the greatest wind & surges to the right (south) of the track.

A look at the Spaghetti plots confirm no consensus regarding landfall with a cluster of models favoring Tampa Bay while others focus more towards Fort Myers.  Milton will be a beast coming in to Florida's West Coast at a perpendicular angle.  That will increase the height of storm surge. His satellite structure already has the inner core of a strengthening system.

Fortunately, we're in October and the westerlies are taking over.  That will not allow Milton to come towards us.

Those 50s & 60s dew points are coming our way!  We're not done with 90 degree heat just yet.

As Milton continues to strengthen, his circulation will draw down drier air and we should be dry all week along the NORTHERN GULF COAST.

Those of you living in south Florida without elevation will need to evacuate once again.   There is still 2 days to prepare so let's not waste getting the supplies needed to survive many days without power.  I wish I had better news.  Stay tuned all of you from Clearwater/Port Richey down to Naples/Key West.  Time to get our prayer teams going again.  Listen to your emergency managers & be ready to follow their orders.  I will have some news from "They Lady" on tomorrow's post.