Tornadoes created by ‘catastrophic’ Hurricane Milton

Hurricane Milton is so large, it has spawned a series of deadly tornadoes which are careening through Florida ahead of the storm’s arrival.

Conditions are already so wild in the storm-battered state of Florida that a series of huge tornadoes are careening through hours before Hurricane Milton is due to make landfall.

The storm has doubled in its geographic size in 24 hours. It is now a category 4 storm with winds of 200km/h.

US officials have pleaded with residents to flee or risk dying. But it now may be too late to leave the area with peopel asked to now go to shelters instead.

US President Joe Biden said it was shaping up to be the “storm of the century”.

Vice President Kamala Harris added: “This storm is unlike anything we’ve seen before”.

“We got a lot of tough strong people in Florida who have been through a lot of hurricanes, tornadoes, but this is not like anything they’ve dealt with before”.

The storm is forecast to make landfall on Florida’s west coast anytime from 10pm on Wednesday US time (1pm Thursday afternoon AEST).

The hurricane is bearing down on west cental Florida.

The central west coast of Florida, south of Tampa, is directly in the firing line, with fears a wall of water – known as a storm surge – could top four metres and devastate the coastline including cities such as St Petersburg and Fort Myers.

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said the surge would swallow houses entirely, bluntly warning: “So if you’re in it, basically that’s the coffin that you’re in”.

By 6am on Thursday morning, Australian time, Milton was located 210km west of Fort Myers.

US President Joe Biden speaks during a briefing about Hurricane Milton in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building October 9, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP)

Hurricane so large, it’s spawned tornadoes

Tornadoes in isolation are usually a major, and extremely dangerous, weather event.

But Hurricane Milton is so large and angry it has created its own tornadoes ahead of its path exacerbating the misery in Florida.

One huge tornado was seen near Fort Myers, more than 200km south of Tampa, on Wednesday. Another was spotted in Lorida, 160km inland. A tornado also hit the interstate 75 motorway, which is a crucial escape route across otherwise mostly inaccesible swamplands from the hurricane hot zone to Miami.

“This is a very favourable environment for quick-moving and dangerous tornadoes,” said the US’ National Weather Service.

Tornadoes can form in thunderstorm bands “well away from the centre of the hurricane,” the service said.

Online, others were more succinct: “It’s a tornado, wtf,” said one social media user.

A tornado spawned from hurricane Milton hits near a key motorway in southern Florida.

Several large tornadoes are bearing down on Florida. Picture: Greg Travers.

Deadly and catastrophic’

Officials aren’t pulling their punches when it come to describing Milton in an effort to get the last residents in its path to move.

On Wednesday, Deanne Criswell, head of the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), was blunt when she said Hurricane Milton will bring a “deadly and catastrophic” storm.

Hurricane Milton is expected to alter Florida’s west coast beaches, changing the coastline when the powerful storm makes landfall. Picture: USGS

The hurricane could wipe out 95 per cent of Florida’s west coast beaches. Picture: USGS

Hurricane could change US coastline ‘forever’

Hurricane Milton is expected to be so ferocious, it will cover nearly every beach on Florida’s west coast — and forever change the Sunshine State’s coastline, experts have warned.

At least 95 per cent of Florida’s west coast beaches are forecast to be inundated — or continuously covered by ocean water — when the hurricane hits.

“This is the most severe level of coastal change,” the US Geological Survey (USGS) warned – while saying that “Milton’s waves and surge” could cause “erosion and overwash” to 100 per cent of the state’s beaches.

“The significance of the coastal change forecast for Milton’s impact to the Florida west coast cannot be overstated,” USGS scientist Kara Doran said.

Imagery from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) after Hurricane Helene showed Florida’s west coast already experienced “overwash or inundation and complete erosion of those dunes,” meaning protective banks of sand usually along the shoreline no longer exist in many locations, the expert noted.

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Heart-stopping moment storm chasers fly into eye of hurricane

Brave storm chasers have filmed the heart-stopping moment they were battered by extreme turbulence while flying into the eye of the hurricane to collect crucial data.

Scary footage shows scientists from the NOAA being thrown around the flight.

The aircraft named “Miss Piggy” was collecting data on the hurricane on Tuesday morning when the footage was captured.

The fearless scientists bump around the cabin and documents are thrown around as the men are forced to hang on.

The jolts are so strong that floorboards come up and important sensors break.

Nick Underwood, who filmed the footage, took to X after the clip went viral online.

“Pardon my Appalachian hoots and hollers but this is right up there with the Ian flight from two years ago. Floor panels came up. Dropsondes (weather recon device) broke. A mess in the cabin," he wrote.

“All that turbulence and we still get the dropsonde out to collect data.

“This is the job. Important work.”

Storm chasers filmed the moment their aircraft “Miss Piggy” was smashed by extreme turbulence while flying into the eye of the hurricane. Picture: NOAA

The scientists were collecting crucial data to help US officials better predict the severity of the “catastrophic” hurricane. Picture: NOAA

Chilling advice for those who refuse to leave

Florida Attorney-General Ashley Moody has issued a chilling piece of advice for those refusing to evacuate as Milton closes in.

“You probably need to write your name in permanent marker on your arm so that people know who you are when they get to you afterwards,” Ms Moody said on the US’ National Public Radio.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis assured residents they have options that don’t require fleeing far.

“You can evacuate tens of miles; you do not have to evacuate hundreds of miles away,” he said, promising that fuel supplies would hold up for those needing to escape.

Major attractions like Walt Disney World and Universal Studios remained open on Tuesday, though Disney said it planned to close campgrounds and rental cabins in more vulnerable wooded areas as a precaution.

– with Alex Blair.

Originally published as Tornadoes created by ‘catastrophic’ Hurricane Milton