When Hurricane Milton plows into the west Florida coastline, it is expected to pack such a punch that nearly every beach will feel the impact, experts say.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), at least 95% of the beaches on the Sunshine State's west coast are forecast to be continuously covered by ocean water when the powerful storm makes landfall Wednesday.
The Category 4 hurricane, which has been upgraded and downgraded several times, comes as many Floridians are still recovering from the devastation brought by Hurricane Helene two weeks ago.
"This is the most severe level of coastal change," the USGS warned, adding "Milton's waves and surge" could cause "erosion and overwash" to 100% 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 in a release.
Coastal "communities are more vulnerable to this storm's impacts due to the erosion that occurred recently from Helene," she said.
Analysis of post-Helene imagery from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration revealed Florida's west coast has already experienced "overwash or inundation and complete erosion of those dunes," the scientist said.
In other words, the protective sand banks that are usually in place along the shoreline are no longer there in many areas.
The projected "severe" level of coastal change will likely cause flooding behind sand dunes and threaten coastal communities, USGS experts cautioned, adding that the forecast is a "worst-case scenario."
The National Hurricane Center put out an 8 a.m. ET alert Wednesday morning advising that Hurricane Milton is presently a Category 4 storm with 155 mph winds.
"The @NWSWPC is forecasting a high risk of flash flooding from #Milton with rainfall totals up to 18 inches over the Florida Peninsula," the bulletin read. "This rainfall brings the risk of catastrophic and life-threatening flash and urban flooding, along with moderate to major river flooding.
"A large area of destructive storm surge from #Milton is expected along portions of the west coast of Florida," the update continued. "If you are in the Storm Surge Warning area, this is an extremely life-threatening situation & you should evacuate if ordered to do so by local officials."
According to the USGS, Hurricane Milton joins several other destructive storms that have reshaped the Florida coastline, including Hurricanes Ian, Irma, Matthew, and Michael.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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