After "explosively intensifying," Hurricane Milton is now growing into a larger storm.
The Florida-bound cyclone is projected to hit the central coast of west Florida as a major hurricane, and for those interested in following or better understanding the potentially historic impacts, you can watch the livestreams below (unless they are dismantled by winds or storm surge).
The hurricane is tracking towards the Tampa region or just south of it, but its wind field is expansive, meaning high winds and storm surge will impact other sections of the Florida Peninsula. Milton is expected to make landfall late Wednesday.
"If the storm stays on the current track, it will be the worst storm to impact the Tampa area in over 100 years," the National Weather Service's Tampa Bay office posted online.
Though a number of factors influence the formation of strong hurricanes (opposing winds that can break apart storms, moist or dry air, etc.), a vital influence is warm sea surface temperatures of over 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius). Warm oceans act as jet fuel for hurricanes, storm scientists explain. That's because warmer oceans fuel tropical storms as more water naturally evaporates into the air, giving storms energy and moisture to intensify. Crucially, the oceans, which absorb most of the heat created by burning fossil fuels, are relentlessly warming.
Today, Atlantic hurricanes are already twice as likely to develop from a milder storm into a major hurricane.
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Tampa Bay Riverfront webcam
Siesta Key Beach
(You may need to click the video to watch it on YouTube.)
Clearwater Beach Hilton
Clearwater Beach Pier Cam
Fort Myers Beach
Naples Pier Cam
(This camera may switch to different Milton livestreams.)
And remember, as you're watching the slightly shifting track updates of Hurricane Milton, the track forecast cone is not an impacts cone. Other regions will see extreme deluges of rain, surge, and flooding.
