Evelyn Hubmeier, senior, and her family stay in their New Smyrna Beach condo in Florida almost every summer. When hurricane Ian hit in 2022, her plans were changed.
“The last hurricane we had really messed up the beach,” Hubmeier said. “We didn’t go at all that year because it didn’t have any sand on it.”
On Wednesday evening, hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida as a category 3 hurricane, with storm surges expected to be up to 25 feet and winds up to 130 mph.
Because Hubmeier and her family only rent the condo, they haven’t done anything to protect it from Hurricane Milton. The only thing keeping their condo safe is that it’s high up, which could help prevent it from flooding, Hubmeier said.
Hubmeier has friends who chose to stay in Florida. Her mom has been keeping in close contact with them to keep tabs on their wellbeing.
“We’re just gonna send prayers to them because that’s what they asked for,” Hubmeier said.
Kevin Koch, science teacher, said current conditions in the Gulf of Mexico create the potential for life-threatening category four to category five hurricanes.
“With our gulf basin being shallow and warmer, this season’s extremely warm water, that’s going to cause very intense hurricanes and these low pressure systems to develop,” Koch said. “As they stick over warm water you get a lot of evaporation which leads to water vapor in the atmosphere that holds onto heat, the driving force of all storms.”
With the intensity of the storm being said to exceed the “mathematical limit” of a category five hurricane by various news sources, Koch said the parameters do not include a higher category of hurricane.
“You have to reach certain pressure zones. Milton was reaching extremely low pressure, which causes more atmospheric movements onto that low pressure center,” Koch said, “but there’s no such thing as a category 6 hurricane. That’s misinformation.”
Other than strong winds, storm surges and rain, tornadoes also can break out due to current conditions in Florida, Koch said.
“When hurricanes hit different surfaces, they create what is called sheer. The winds in the upper atmosphere are faster than below. The friction between the land surface and the atmosphere itself creates sheer, which produces tornadoes. Milton had a huge tornado outbreak, very powerful tornadoes. Oftentimes, you don’t really see that, so you have that danger as well,” Koch said.
Lainee Norton, junior, has family who currently lives in Florida. Her cousins decided to stay at their home, located in St. Petersburg, during the recent hurricanes. Hurricane Helene passed through Florida on Sept. 26th as a category four hurricane.
“One of my cousins was born and raised there,” Norton said. “She has lived through a lot of hurricanes before, and her entire side of the family is staying as well.”
Despite her cousin having experienced hurricanes in the past, Norton still worries about their safety.
Norton said their trips to Florida will change due to the effects of hurricanes Helene and Milton.
“We try to go visit them at least once a year, but the damages from the hurricane will probably affect that,” Norton said.
