David Hester inspects the damage around his house after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Horseshoe Beach, Florida.
Floridians are bracing themselves for Hurricane Milton, among the strongest storms ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean, less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene devastated the US Southeast. With wind speeds pushing over 180 miles per hour, Milton is expected to make landfall in western Florida on Wednesday. Storm surge in the densely populated Tampa Bay area, which is projected to experience a direct hit, could reach 15 feet, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Helene left Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia to battle with record storm surge, wind damage, and catastrophic flooding. Over 230 people were killed across the six states and millions of homes and businesses were left without power.
The monstrous storms follow a summer lull in what’s been projected to be an especially active hurricane season, which could extend through November.
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