Less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene devastated parts of the southeastern U.S., supply chains are already having to prepare for another powerful hurricane expected to make landfall Wednesday.
On Monday morning, Hurricane Milton rapidly intensified into a Category 5 hurricane, strengthening as it passes through the Gulf of Mexico with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The storm is expected to reach peak intensity Tuesday morning, and is forecast to weaken back to a Category 3 when it hits Florida’s Gulf coast by late Wednesday. Storm surges are anticipated to reach as high as eight to 12 feet in some areas on the coast.
In a Monday news conference, Governor Ron DeSantis encouraged residents on the western coast to evacuate, and said he anticipated a “flurry” of orders throughout the day.
Rainfall amounts of five to 10 inches, with localized totals up to 15 inches, are expected across portions of the Florida peninsula and the Keys through Wednesday night, the National Hurricane Center said.
Supply chains are still reeling in the wake of the relief efforts for Hurricane Helene, which was the deadliest hurricane to hit the U.S. mainland since Hurricane Katrina in 2005 with a death toll of 227 people across six states.
