Incoming Hurricane Milton, currently a Category 5 monster which may become the worst storm to hit Florida in a century, is threatening lives and property in the central and southern parts of the state.
Earlier this week, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 35 Florida counties due to the oncoming storm, including Miami-Date, Broward and Palm Beach. There are tens of thousands of Jewish living in areas threatened by the storm, which is currently expected to make landfall somewhere between Tampa and Fort Myers.
The Jewish community in Tampa alone numbers about 51,000; in the West Palm Beach Metropolitan Area there are approximately 94,000 Jews, Boynton Beach to Jupiter. The Fort Myers metro area has around 7,500 Jews, and the Naples area further south along the state’s Gulf coast has an additional 7,500, according to the 2020 American Jewish Year Book.
The Tampa-Sarasota-Fort Myers area is home to an estimated 50,000 Jews, according to the Jewish Press of Tampa, along with dozens of synagogues and other Jewish institutions.
Tampa Torah Academy canceled its classes on Tuesday “due to Hurricane Milton’s forecasted path and likely impact, as a precautionary measure.” Classes at TTA are not scheduled to resume until October 28, after the Jewish holiday of Sukkot.
Many Florida congregations have canceled upcoming Yom Kippur services, set to take place on Friday night and Shabbat (Saturday); most are in the mandatory and “highly recommended” evacuation zones.
Rabbi Yitzhak Minkowicz, a Chabad-Lubavitch emissary in South Florida, said he is not ready to evacuate and instead is planning to host Yom Kippur services on Friday night and Saturday and is offering his Fort Myers home, which doubles as a synagogue, as a shelter from the storm.
?Pray for Those in Milton’s Path!
As hurricane Milton barrels toward the coast, take a moment to pray for the safety and protection of those in the storm’s way. pic.twitter.com/a2JdUKCphW
— Chabad.org (@Chabad) October 8, 2024
For those who have not yet evacuated, be advised that Brightline will stop operations all day Wednesday and Thursday between West Palm Beach and Orlando ahead of the expected arrival of the hurricane.
Hatzalah South Florida and other first responder organizations issued an emergency message, saying, “Hatzalah South Florida is working with Shuls, Synagogues and Chabad Houses across the West Coast / Tampa / Orlando communities. Additionally we are communicating with state, local, and federal agencies to coordinate and assist our communities. This storm is extremely dangerous and is on track to impact Florida as a deadly Category 4 Hurricane. Do not underestimate the potential for catastrophic damage to life and property.
“We strongly urge all residents to closely follow and adhere to the directions of local and state authorities, and to stock up on essentials, including water, flashlights, batteries, etc. An emergency HSF hotline number has been established for Hurricane Milton. This line will be answered 24/7 from a location outside of the affected area to ensure uninterrupted communications,” Hatzalah South Florida said.
HSF EMERGENCY HURRICANE HOTLINE: (904) 638-0000
If you or someone you know is in need of urgent assistance, HSF responders will be dispatched to assist as conditions allow. The Hatzalah South Florida emergency dispatch number 305-919-4900 will be continuously manned as well for medical emergencies, the organization added.
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, meanwhile, had a direct, blunt warning for residents in her city while speaking to CNN about Hurricane Helene — which hit the state two weeks ago and devastated cities all the way up the coast through North Carolina — in comparison to the impending nightmare of Hurricane Milton.
“Helene was a wake-up call. This (Milton) is literally catastrophic. I can say this without any dramatization whatsoever: If you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you are going to die,” she emphasized.
Fourteen counties are under mandatory evacuation orders.
Milton is forecast to make landfall at around 2 am Thursday, with an expected storm surge of between 10 to 15 feet in some areas along Florida’s Gulf Coast.
NEW: CGI simulation by the Weather Channel shows just how destructive Hurricane Milton could be to Florida's west coast.
Some areas in Florida are expected to see storm surges of up to 15 feet.
Milton is expected to return to Category 5 today and is expected to make landfall in… pic.twitter.com/SysEVaMsun
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) October 8, 2024
Hurricane hunters from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) rode straight into the storm on Tuesday to gather as much information as possible about the hurricane.
Bumpy ride into Hurricane #Milton on @NOAA WP-3D Orion #NOAA43 "Miss Piggy" to collect data to help improve the forecast and support hurricane research.
Visit https://t.co/3phpgKNx0q for the latest forecasts and advisories
Visit https://t.co/UoRa967zK0 for information that you… pic.twitter.com/ezmXu2Zqta— NOAA Aircraft Operations Center (@NOAA_HurrHunter) October 8, 2024
The storm is currently transiting the Gulf and packing winds of up to 165 miles per hour, according to The Weather Channel. Forecasts predict the storm will weaken as it approaches land, but will still be packing winds of up to 130 miles per hour as a Category 4 hurricane.
