Just weeks after Hurricane Helene left Florida in ruins, the state faces another threat with Hurricane Milton rapidly approaching. Officials are urging residents to prepare as the storm intensifies. A recent forecast simulation has stunned many, showing the storm’s potentially catastrophic impact on Florida’s west coast.

In Tampa, windows have been boarded up, with warnings scrawled across them, as the city braces for Hurricane Milton’s landfall, expected on October 8, 2024. This storm has escalated to a Category 5, gaining strength as it nears the coast. The Gulf Coast, still grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, is now facing severe risks, with evacuation orders and preparations for power outages already underway. Officials have predicted the state’s largest evacuation in seven years.

Forecasters warn of water levels rising up to 15 feet, especially in areas with onshore winds. The FOX Forecast Center notes that the storm surge could be record-breaking, possibly the worst Tampa Bay has seen in over a century. In anticipation, stores in Tampa and other coastal areas have closed, with signs alerting residents of the impending danger.