As Hurricane Milton approaches Florida's coast, it is expected to bluster over many of the state's major hazardous material facilities, which are major sources of pollution.
A map by Rice University's Center for Coastal Futures and Adaptive Resilience (CFAR) reveals the major polluters—included on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 2022 Toxic Release Inventory—in the path of the oncoming storm.
When the storm hits these sites, there are fears that the pollution may be distributed far and wide by the powerful winds and the intense rainfall.
"Unfortunately, as past storms have shown us, those residing near the major polluters in Milton's trajectory might face the true disaster in the aftermath of the storm," James Elliott, co-director of CFAR, department chair and the David W. Leebron Professor of Sociology at Rice, said in a statement.
These sites include concrete plants, electronic manufacturers and chemical plants, among many other facilities.
When hurricanes hit facilities like these, the combination of powerful winds, storm surges, and flooding can damage storage tanks, pipelines, and containment systems, causing hazardous substances to be released into the environment. Floodwaters may also wash chemicals, oil or industrial waste into rivers, lakes or oceans, which can have serious impacts on aquatic life and pose risks to human drinking water sources.
Hurricanes can cause fires or explosions at industrial sites, releasing toxic fumes and particulate matter into the air. This can pose immediate health risks to people in nearby communities and create long-term air quality problems.
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, New Orleans saw oil spills and hazardous waste releases from flooded refineries and chemical plants, leading to long-term environmental degradation.
"This interactive map enables individuals to identify facilities that handle hazardous materials in the storm's path," Dominic Boyer, CFAR co-director and a professor of anthropology at Rice, said in the statement. "We believe that access to this information can empower residents in the affected areas to protect themselves from potential toxins that may be dispersed by wind and flooding."
Milton is currently a Category 5 hurricane with 165-mile-per-hour wind speeds and is expected to stay about as strong until it hits Florida tomorrow night. It had weakened to a Category 4 earlier today but has since intensified slightly.
"Hurricane Milton is now a Category 5 storm with winds of 180 mph, and tied as the 3rd strongest hurricane in Atlantic history," extreme weather chaser Colin McCarthy wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday, after the hurricane first hit Category 5 strength/
"Strongest hurricanes in Atlantic history by 1-minute sustained wind speed: 1. Allen (1980) – 190 mph; 2. "Labor Day" Hurricane (1935); Gilbert (1988); Dorian (2019); Wilma (2005) – 185 mph; 3. Mitch (1998); Rita (2005); Irma (2017); Milton (2024) – 180 mph," McCarthy explained.
Milton also became the fifth-strongest Atlantic storm by central pressure, hitting 897 millibars. Only Hurricane Wilma in 2005, Hurricane Gilbert in 1988, the 1935 Labor Day hurricane, and 2005's Hurricane Rita saw lower pressures in their central eye.
Thousands of people have been encouraged to evacuate the Tampa region where Milton is expected to make landfall, as "life-threatening" conditions are expected.
"If the storm stays on the current track, it will be the worst storm to impact the Tampa area in over 100 years," NWS Tampa Bay said in a post on X. "Please evacuate if told to do so."
Up to 15 feet of storm surge is forecast for Tampa Bay and other nearby regions, and as much as 18 inches of rain will fall in some areas, both of which will contribute to widespread flooding.
While Milton may slightly weaken before it makes landfall, and its exact landfall location can't be accurately predicted this far out, the National Hurricane Center warns that the storm will be incredibly large and affect a huge area of the state.
"The official forecast shows the hurricane and tropical-storm-force winds roughly doubling in size by the time it makes landfall. Damaging winds, life-threatening storm surge, and heavy rainfall will extend well outside the forecast cone," the NHC said in a forecast advisory.
"This is a very serious situation and residents in Florida should closely follow orders from their local emergency management officials. Evacuations and other preparations should be completed today. Milton has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida."
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