Irish weather forecaster's update on 300kph killer Hurricane Milton heading for US

An Irish weather forecaster has provided an update on a potentially historic hurricane set to hit Florida in the US on Wednesday.

Cathal Nolan from Ireland's Weather Channel usually provides update exclusively on Irish weather but has made a break from that given the extraordinary nature of Hurricane Milton which will spark a huge evacuation in the US state.

The deadly Atlantic storm comes just two weeks after Hurricane Helene ripped through the same area, causing massive flooding and killing 200 people. 

"I don’t often comment on meteorological events outside of Ireland, but I feel this one deserves a special mentionm," Cathal said.

"Some of the data coming out of the National urticante Center and NOAA are truly jaw dropping. Milton's central pressure is currently at 905 hPa and dropping. Today it dropped 50 hPa in the space of 10 hours. For perspective the term rapid cyclogenesis is given to a storm that deepens by 24 hPa in a 24 hour period.

"Current sustained wind speeds are at 180MPH, with winds potentially peaking close to 200MPH, meanwhile gusts are in the region of 220 to 230MPH. We issue red weather warnings here when windspeed gusts to over 130KPH.

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"Latest computer models indicate that a storm surge of over 15FT is expected along a large swathe of the Florida coastline, which at most is merely a couple of feet above sea level with a truly devastating storm surge expected to destroy huge tracks of the state.

"All this is happening to an area that’s just suffered from the impacts of Hurricane Helene, with many areas already reeling from what was a record-breaking hurricane in terms of the flooding it caused in parts of Florida and through the Appalachian mountains.

"This is a prime example of how changing temperatures across the globe are leading to more powerful storms, developing at more explosive rates with ever greater impacts. Storms like Milton will become more frequent in the coming decades and human nature will continue to press onwards as ever, while nature eventually bites back."

In a further update on Tuesday morning, Cathal explained how authorities are measuring the storm as it bears down on Florida.

"During the night NOAA Hurricane Hunters flew through the heart of Milton, recording a central pressure reading of 895 hPa, making Milton the 5th lowest pressure reading of all time for a Hurricane Atlantic," he said.

"Sustained wind speeds from Milton have now reached 185 mph, with wind gusts of over 220 mph near a now expanding eye wall core. Milton is expected to undergo eye wall recycling over the next 24 hours, meaning Milton will grow larger in size.

"Milton remains on course for a direct hit of Western Florida, with landfall expected to around the Tampa Bay Area. The entire Florida coastline on the west side is likely to experience life-threatening storm surge, however the figures around Tampa Bay and for a couple of hundred kilometres either side are scary.

"A wind driven storm surge, enhanced by Milton's extremely low pressure centre, will lead to a storm surge of over 15ft. This could well lead to the worst coastal flooding on the west coast of Florida in over 100 years, in an area which has already suffered the impacts of a major hurricane this season.

"Milton will retain its intensity over the coming 24 hours, with a real possibility that it could make a push for the lowest central pressure recorded of any Atlantic hurricane. Meanwhile, winds will remain at a sustained level of 185 mph for the coming 24 hours before a small weakening trend immediately before landfall, but the storm will remain a major and deadly hurricane," Cathal concluded.