On the heels of Category 4 Hurricane Helene and its devastating impacts to the Big Bend region of Florida and hundreds of miles inland in the mountains of western North Carolina, Hurricane Milton made landfall on Wednesday, October 9th as a Category 3 storm. Before touching down in Siesta Key, the storm rapidly intensified from Category 1 to Category 5 in less than 24 hours during its trek across the Gulf of Mexico, inspiring fear and disbelief in weather forecasters and residents in the storm’s path. Residents of Florida’s Gulf coast barely had time to breathe, let alone fully recover, from the initial impacts of Hurricane Helene, with piles of debris mounting along the streets of Tampa and St. Petersburg as evacuation orders were being issued for residents of low-lying and flood-prone areas ahead of the storm.
The strength and severity of both storms, including their rapid intensification, can directly be attributed to climate change. The Gulf of Mexico has experienced unprecedented ocean temperatures, hovering at bath water or hot tub temperatures for much of the 2024 hurricane season. These temperatures, in addition to warm, moist air, supercharged both storms, increasing the risks of severe impacts from wind, rain, and flooding along our coasts and everywhere in between. Unfortunately, both hurricanes signify what may be the new normal for tropical weather with climate change along the Gulf and Atlantic seaboard.
Given the magnitude of the potential impacts of a Category 5 hurricane in the Tampa Bay region, and across the entire state, Floridians braced for the worst. While the storm’s weakening upon approach to the Florida peninsula to a Category 3 helped diminish some of the worst potential impacts, the storm left much of the state in ruin. The most surprising and devastating destruction occurred far beyond the eye of the storm by way of dozens deadly tornadoes that violently tore through communities from Palm Beach County to Fort Pierce to the Gulf. Countless lives, homes, and businesses were lost before Hurricane Milton even made landfall. When the storm finally did approach land, it dumped upwards of 18 inches of rain and contributed to a storm surge of up to 10 feet in some places. Damage from the storm was widespread, leaving more than 3.5 million Florida residents without power following the storm, and significant flooding throughout the state. In some communities, the floodwaters have yet to subside and clean, safe water is still largely unavailable.
Hurricane Impacts to Water Quality
Clean water is a major concern after any hurricane, even more so in Florida, where hurricane recovery is often focused on getting tourists back to the beach once immediate safety concerns are addressed for residents. Floodwaters and excess rainfall contribute to severe runoff and pollution into the ocean and coastal waterways. Following a major storm like Hurricane Milton, there are damages to or failure of wastewater infrastructure like septic systems or sewage overflows. Human waste, sometimes to the tune of tens of thousands of gallons, spills into waterways leading to public health crises from the bacteria in the wastewater. The Florida Department of Health even issued a health advisory warning residents to avoid floodwaters following Hurricane Milton due to the potential risks of Vibrio vulnificus, a flesh-eating bacteria that has been reported in Florida after previous storm events. If you have concerns about bacterial pollution at your favorite beach after the storm, please visit the Florida Healthy Beaches website, or visit Surfrider’s Blue Water Task Force website to see results from recent monitoring by our local chapters in affected areas.
Water quality impacts are not only limited to bacteria, but also include nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen that wastewater and runoff can also discharge into local waterways. These nutrients have been known to trigger harmful algal blooms (HABs) like red tide and blue-green algae in salt and freshwater environments. HABs produce toxins that are harmful to human health, and can kill fish, mammals, and birds, even triggering seagrass die-offs and larger ecosystem-level concerns. HABs often frequent in the Tampa Bay area, and much of the Gulf coast, which has historically experienced regular red tide events since the 1800s. It appears that, as expected, red tide has exploded in the region following Hurricane Milton. The magnitude of the impacts to water quality from the storm are only beginning, and it is expected that local waterways, habitats, and human health may be at risk in the coming weeks following the storm.
In addition to the water pollution concerns from bacteria, excess nutrients, and harmful algal blooms, Tampa Bay is also home to a radioactive pollutant that poses greater threats to the region: phosphogypsum. Phosphogypsum is the byproduct of fertilizer whose runoff or discharges following storm events can spell disaster for local water quality and public health. Phosphogypsum is stored in stacks, as mandated by the US Environmental Protection Agency, due to the fact that the substance is known to emit cancer-causing chemicals. Florida, and specifically the Tampa Bay region, is home to the majority of phosphate mining operations in the United States. In 2023, Florida lawmakers passed a law that paves the way for phosphogypsum to be used in road construction.
Surfrider actively campaigned against the measure and is working to ensure that no phosphogypsum is put in Florida roadways, threatening public or environmental health from excess runoff. One of the major concerns with the current storage systems during hurricanes is spills containing radioactive waste. Mosaic, one of the primary producers in the area, confirmed that during the storm, at least 17,500 gallons of polluted water discharged from the company’s Riverview facility. Now, in addition to concerns about bacterial pollution and red tide, affected communities will also have to watch for additional impacts from potentially radioactive wastewater.
(Plastic) Pollution Concerns Reach East Coast Beaches
Soon after the storm passed through the state, thousands of large pieces of commercial roofing insulation foam started washing up on beaches along the eastern Florida coast. Initially reported in Jupiter, by the next morning the foam had appeared from Lake Worth Beach and further North to Cocoa Beach, over 120 miles away. Sadly, this particular type of material breaks easily into small pieces and a fine powder that will find its way into the ocean food web as microplastics. Currently, the origin of the foam debris has not been confirmed, but it is likely the result of the havoc wrought by Hurricane Milton and the countless tornadoes that tore through communities across the Florida peninsula ahead of the storm. Fierce coastal storms not only destroy property and disrupt lives, they also contribute to pollution that can have lasting effects on our health and recreation, both on and off the water.
Surfrider’s regional network in Florida, including the Palm Beach County and Treasure Coast Chapters, has been working to get foam off beaches from Lake Worth to Stuart by organizing and lending volunteers to beach cleanup efforts, removing thousands of pieces of foam from the coast. During a recent cleanup on Palm Beach island, volunteers removed 300 bags of foam debris. While local communities have responded swiftly to address pollution concerns, there are still miles of beaches covered in debris that need to be cleaned up. Please contact the Palm Beach County Chapter or Treasure Coast Chapter to learn more about how you can get involved with clean-up efforts.
In addition to joining in cleanup efforts on the East Coast, you can support Florida communities as they recover from Hurricane Milton by donating directly to the organizations below.
Hurricane Milton Disaster Aid Organizations
United Way South Sarasota County
Photo Credit: NOAA