While deaths were reported following the hurricane Milton and millions of people in Florida were left without power, a Canadian meteorologist dispatched to the region said extreme weather was possible following the devastation and that Canadians in the state should heed warnings about severe storms.
Mark Robinson, a meteorologist for The Weather Network (MétéoMédia) based in Oakville, Ontario, traveled to Florida on Tuesday to follow the evolution of Milton along the west coast. After waiting out the hurricane in the shelter of a garage, Robinson said Canadians need to take severe weather into account when traveling to the state.
“Canadians… They may not be prepared for hurricanes, they may not be prepared for what these storms can do,” he said in a telephone interview Thursday. “Take these storms seriously, they are not insurmountable. »
Mr. Robinson said he took shelter in a parking lot in Sarasota, Fla., where the eye of the hurricane made landfall as a Category 3 storm Wednesday evening, bringing a deluge of rain and winds powerful.
“It was hot and humid, and then we just got a gust of air… that little gust became a strong breeze, then stronger and stronger, until it was an absolute roar of wind,” a- he reported from Tampa, Florida, where he visited on Thursday. “We had to return to our parking lot when the stronger eyewall came ashore and really destroyed Sarasota. »
The meteorologist detailed the damage he saw, saying there was debris flying into the streets, cars stuck on the roads and damage to trees and roofs of buildings. Some areas of the state experienced flooding after the storm surge, he added.
He also said he spoke to several Florida residents who were preparing for the storm in local hotels after evacuating their homes, many of whom had already gone through the same exercise just two weeks ago during the hurricane. Helene. “A lot of the feeling was exhaustion,” he reported. I think a lot of people have just resigned themselves to the fact that they might lose their homes. And it’s demoralizing. »
Mr. Robinson explained that the rapid development of the hurricane Milton had made it difficult to predict the exact location and time of landfall, meaning state residents had little time to prepare. “It was a little unusual in that it exploded right over the Gulf of Mexico and then immediately started heading east,” he commented.
Millions of people were ordered to evacuate in 11 Florida counties in anticipation of the storm. It also spawned several reported tornadoes, some killing at least four people in St Lucie County on Florida’s east coast, according to local officials.
Florida officials are still assessing damage across the state following Milton, and Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday the state is also evaluating the need for distribution points for water, food and other supplies.
Growing risks for Canadians to consider
Many Canadians live in Florida seasonally and Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly urged them to leave Florida on Wednesday. The state is also a popular tourist destination for Canadians and some said they had to take safety precautions during the storm.
Rob Westgate, a reporter for The Canadian Press who was vacationing in Orlando, Fla., during the hurricane, said he and other tourists at Disney World were told to shelter in their hotel rooms while that the park was closing and the eye was passing just south of town. “It’s very windy if you’re facing the wind,” he said. Everyone here has been fantastic. Lots of hurricane veterans. »
Mark Robinson, the meteorologist, said early computer models show weather conditions are still developing that could produce tropical cyclones, which could bring more hurricanes to the United States and as far east as of Canada. Although research is ongoing on the effects of climate change on these types of severe weather events, Robinson said there is evidence that it increases the risk of hurricanes.
That’s part of the reason he urged Canadians traveling to Florida to consider the impact of extreme weather on their stay in the state.
Canadians, especially snowbirds who live in the state part-time, should also think about how storms might affect their property and insurance coverage, he said, adding that residents should always follow the advice of local officials.
“A good way to look at the situation is to be informed, to realize that these storms regularly hit Florida,” he insisted. If you pay attention to what the authorities tell you, they will guide you correctly. »
With archives from the Associated Press