Decoding the storm: What a hurricane's reach really means

Next month marks two years since Hurricane Milton. When Milton crossed Florida, different parts of the state experienced very different versions of the same storm. A hurricane can affect communities in very different ways depending on where its center tracks — and the terminology used to describe those impacts matters.

via ABC News

Using Hurricane Milton as a real-world example, Florida Storms breaks down the difference between a landfall, a direct hit, a strike and an indirect hit. Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, brought a direct hit to Sarasota, placed Tampa Bay within the broader strike zone, and produced significant indirect impacts as far south as Naples. The storm’s reach also extended well beyond the coastline, including a major tornado outbreak across Florida. The story shows why a hurricane’s danger is much larger than the exact point where the eye comes ashore. From Siesta Key to Tampa Bay and across the peninsula, Milton left a legacy for the history books. Florida Storms meteorologist Leslie Hudson takes a deep dive into why landfall never tells the entire story.

At one point, Milton’s tropical-storm-force winds extended as far as 250 miles from the center. It is another reminder that the forecast cone tracks the probable path of a storm’s center — not the size or full reach of its hazards.