Milton was getting fuel from the Gulf and Atlantic. It’s why Milton kept hurricane status the entire time it moved over Florida. But, the air mass from the north didn’t pinch it into a stalled state. Milton was fueled enough to continue a rigorous trajectory. The velocity distributed the rain over a wider path than if it stalled. So while the damage is still significant, especially for those with damaged property, it could have been worse.
My understanding is that Milton caused about 16 deaths. That is about average for major storms that visit the USA. The blitz response from President Biden worked in this case.
The difference between Milton and Helene is that Helene stalled over western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. It was the chronic wind and high amounts of rainfall that caused do much more damage and death.
That area of the country tends to be more impoverished as well and here again there are socio-economic impacts from these catastrophic events that cause death. The disparity between the two events is grossly obvious. Poverty should not be a death sentence.
Milton is out at sea and still having a punch, but, there are clear skies over Florida. After Helene there was more rain. These were both climate crisis storms. Helene is obvious, but, Milton maintained it’s hurricane strength winds over land for a sustained time because of the feeder system that fueled it from two bodies of water because of its sheer size. Milton also spawned record numbers of tornadoes accompanying a hurricane.
My sincerest condolences for all the families and friends of those lost because of these storms. Thank you to the USA military for its helpful vigilance, FEMA for its expert insight and response, and to all first responders and volunteers who rose to the challenge presented by a warming planet. Americans are magnificent people.
