 "The US Weather Department, along with tracking Hurricane Milton, has its eyes on two additional disturbances in the Atlantic Ocean. One of which can potentially become a tropical storm, Nadine. Reuters")
It seems Floridians can’t catch a break this hurricane season.
With more than seven weeks left until the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season officially ends, the threat of powerful storms looms large, and experts are warning that Hurricane Milton might not be the last to strike the US this year.
Currently, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) is keeping an eye on multiple systems across the Atlantic, including one off Florida’s east coast with the potential to become Tropical Storm Nadine.
Forecasts suggest that if this disturbance strengthens, it could become the third storm in recent weeks to devastate the coast state.
This comes just as monstrous Hurricane Milton made landfall late Wednesday, leaving a trail of destruction and deaths on Florida’s west coast.
What could we know about Nadine? How big of a threat is it? Here’s what we know so far.
Hurricane Milton slams Florida
Hurricane Milton, described by President Joe Biden as “the storm of the century,” struck near Siesta Key in Sarasota County of Florida, as a powerful Category 3 storm on Wednesday.
The devastating hurricane hit Florida’s west coast, bringing relentless winds exceeding 100 mph and torrential rains to a coastline still reeling from the recent impacts of Hurricane Helene.
The life-threatening hurricane brought ferocious winds surpassing 100 mph speed and flooding rains to a coast that was already devastated by Helene a couple of weeks ago.
“It’s too dangerous to evacuate safely, so you have to shelter in place and just hunker down,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis advised as he confirmed Milton’s landfall. Ahead of the storm, he had declared a state of emergency across 51 of Florida’s 67 counties.
Shortly after, tornadoes triggered by the storm tore through several counties, destroying about 125 homes, primarily mobile homes in senior communities, a report by AP quoted Kevin Guthrie, the director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, as saying.
In St. Lucie County, on the Atlantic coast, over 200 km east of Sarasota, multiple fatalities were reported after tornadoes swept through, according to a CNN report citing Sheriff Keith Pearson.
Further, nearly three million homes and businesses plunged into darkness, and as Milton’s strong winds surged inland, power outages are expected to rise across the state, per reports from poweroutage.us.
In St. Petersburg, downpours led to over 16 inches of rain, prompting the National Weather Service to warn of dangerous flash floods. Residents have complained of not getting water from their household taps as a water main break led the authorities to shut down service.
About 90 minutes after making landfall, Hurricane Milton was downgraded to a Category 2 storm and continued to weaken by early Thursday, reaching Category 1 strength as it moved offshore near Orlando. Forecasters expect the storm to maintain its intensity as it tracks across central Florida into Thursday morning.
Nadine to strike soon?
The US Weather Department, along with tracking Hurricane Milton, has its eyes on two additional disturbances in the Atlantic Ocean.
One of these has a minimal chance of forming in the Eastern Tropical Atlantic. However, a second system, brewing about 300 miles from Bermuda and along Florida’s east coast, has been catching attention.
If this system forms into a tropical storm, it would be named Nadine, making it the 14th named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, potentially bringing heavy rains and gusty winds to Bermuda.
Despite initial concerns, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) has some reassuring news.
According to The New York Post, the system has only a small chance of developing into a tropical storm. NHC forecasters currently give it a 30 per cent chance of evolving into a hurricane within the next 48 hours.
For context, a tropical hurricane is marked by maximum sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph, while a hurricane is classified as anything above 74 mph. Even if this disturbance strengthens into Nadine, it doesn’t necessarily mean it will intensify into a hurricane.
“Environmental conditions are becoming less favourable for tropical or subtropical development today (Wednesday) while the low moves northeastward to east-northeastward at around 15 mph,” the National Hurricane Center stated. The centre added, “Upper-level winds are expected to become too strong for further development tonight or on Thursday.”
In essence, this system is heading out to sea, which means Americans can breathe a sigh of relief. “It’s going straight out to sea, it wouldn’t affect anybody,” meteorologists from Fox Weather shared with The New York Post.
There’s also Hurricane Leslie
Meteorologists are also monitoring Hurricane Leslie, which is currently churning far out in the Atlantic Ocean.
Fortunately, Leslie is far from any land and is expected to drift around the central Atlantic over the coming days.
Maximum sustained winds are near 80 mph with higher gusts,” the hurricane centre informed USA Today. “Some additional strengthening is anticipated today and tonight, followed by weakening through early next week.”
This all points to good news, as these systems pose little risk to land, offering Americans a welcomed sense of relief.
With input from agencies