Start Date: Oct. 8, 2024
Type: Hurricanes & Cyclones
Region: North America
View maps and data on the NASA Disasters Mapping Portal
What DHS and FEMA are doing: https://www.fema.gov/hurricane-milton (Spanish: https://www.fema.gov/es/milton )
What the U.S. government is doing: https://usa.gov/hurricane-milton (Spanish: https://usa.gov/es/huracan-milton)
UPDATE OCT. 8, 2024
The NASA Disasters Response Coordination System (DRCS) has activated to support FEMA and state agencies in responding to Hurricane Milton. Milton is currently a Category 4 storm tracking toward central Florida and is anticipated to make landfall Wednesday night. Forecasts indicate the storm will bring destructive winds, flooding, and storm surge to communities in Florida, impacting a region that is still recovering from the damage caused by Hurricane Helene just two weeks ago. The NASA DRCS is also continuing its efforts supporting response and recovery in the southern U.S. for Helene.
NASA DRCS team members are participating in coordination calls with agency partners to assess needs and are sharing pre-event maps and imagery on the NASA Disasters Mapping Portal to aid situational awareness and equip decision-makers with the best available information to prepare for Milton’s impacts.
This pre-event coordination is essential, as the compounding effects of two sequential disasters can complicate response and recovery efforts for both emergency managers and local communities. Debris from Helene and damage to coastal barriers could increase communities' vulnerability to storm surge and high winds. Additionally, soil moisture levels in many areas of Florida are still high from the heavy rainfall brought by Helene, which makes flooding more likely as the ground is not able to absorb as much water.
