Hurricane Milton moved eastward over the Atlantic Ocean away from Florida on Thursday morning. At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Hurricane Milton was located at latitude 29.1°N and longitude 78.5°W which put the center about 135 miles (220 km) east-northeast of Cape Canaveral, Florida. Milton was moving toward the east-northeast at 20 m.p.h. (32 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 80 m.p.h. (130 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 95 m.p.h. (150 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 983 mb.
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the portion of the coast from Sebastian Inlet, Florida to Edisto Beach, South Carolina. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the extreme Northwestern Bahamas including Grand Bahama Island, and the Abacos.
Hurricane Milton was making a transition to an extratropical cyclone as it moved away to the east of Florida on Thursday morning. A warm front was forming in the eastern part of Milton’s circulation. A cold front was forming to the south of the center of Hurricane Milton. Thunderstorms were occurring in bands in the northern and eastern sides of Milton’s circulation. Bands in the southern and western parts of Hurricane Milton consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds.
The transition to an extratropical cyclone was also causing the distribution of wind speeds around Hurricane Milton to become more asymmetrical. Winds to hurricane force extended out 70 miles (110 km) in the northwestern quadrant of Milton’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 310 miles (500 km) from the center of Hurricane Milton.
Hurricane Milton will move through an environment unfavorable for intensification of a tropical cyclone during the next 24 hours. Milton will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28°C. However, an upper level trough over the eastern U.S. will produce strong westerly winds that will blow toward the top of Milton’s circulation. Those winds will cause strong vertical wind shear. The strong vertical wind shear will cause Hurricane Milton to complete a transition to an extratropical cyclone during the next 24 hours.
The upper level trough over the eastern U.S. will steer Hurricane Milton toward the east-northeast during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Hurricane Milton will move quickly away from Florida. Milton could affect Bermuda on Friday as an extratropical cyclone.
Elsewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, Hurricane Leslie started to weaken. At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Hurricane Leslie was located at latitude 23.2°N and longitude 50.4°W which put the center about 1715 miles (2765 km) west-southeast of the Azores. Leslie was moving toward the west-northwest at 7 m.p.h. (11 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 105 m.p.h. (165 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 980 mb.
