Recently, Hurricane Milton made landfall on Florida's Gulf Coast, bringing with it a powerful storm surge that impacted several areas along the coast. Preliminary estimates from the National Hurricane Center indicate that water levels rose at least 5 to 10 feet above ground level due to the storm surge.
The most severely affected area stretched approximately 65 miles along the coast between Siesta Key, where Milton hit land, and Ft. Myers Beach. This stretch experienced the worst of the storm surge, with water levels reaching significant heights.
The storm surge was primarily a result of Milton's strong winds pushing water from the Gulf of Mexico onto the land. The counterclockwise rotation of the storm's winds around its center, or eye, directed the most intense storm surge to areas where the winds were blowing onshore, particularly to the east and south of the eye.
Fortunately, Milton's landfall location south of Tampa Bay helped mitigate the impact on that area. Initial forecasts had predicted a worst-case scenario of up to 15 feet of storm surge, but the actual impact was less severe due to the storm's path.
Over the coming weeks, surveys will be conducted to assess the extent of the damage caused by Hurricane Milton, including determining the exact peak storm surge levels experienced along the Gulf Coast.
