Clewiston, United States - October 09, 2024

As Hurricane Milton barrels toward Florida, the storm’s destructive power is already making itself known. On October 9, Koby Kreiger, a resident of Clewiston, captured a chilling moment on video: a tornado forming in his hometown, hours before the hurricane’s expected landfall. “It’s starting! Tornado in Clewiston! And Milton is 15 hours away!” Kreiger wrote in his Facebook post, as the swirling funnel cloud loomed ominously in the distance.

The tornado was one of many spawned by the approaching hurricane, with the National Weather Service (NWS) issuing over 130 tornado warnings across the state by Wednesday evening. The tornadoes are acting as dangerous precursors to the full force of Hurricane Milton, which is expected to strike Florida within hours.

Meteorologists are comparing the unprecedented number of tornado warnings to previous storms, with Milton already outpacing Hurricane Ian, which prompted 64 warnings in 2022.

According to experts, hurricanes frequently generate tornadoes, particularly in the storm's right-front quadrant. The combination of high heat, humidity, and wind shear is creating ideal conditions for these violent events. As Floridians brace for Milton’s full impact, the state remains on high alert for more tornadoes to come.