Florida Climate Center: Milton's peak surge levels pass Helene, but not Ian in SW FL

The day after Hurricane Milton, also known as the aftermath, provides the opportunity to put things in perspective based on the weather data for the storm.

The News-Press reached out to the Florida Climate Center in Tallahassee to find out the key numbers from the storm and what the takeaways were based on their reports.

"It looks like your area was spared from the worst of impacts, with much of the heavy rain and winds to the north in the St. Petersburg/Tampa and Sarasota areas," said Emily Powell, assistant state climatologist.

Powell was able to address the numbers in both Collier and Lee counties.

She said the coastal tide gauge stations at Naples and Fort Myers reached major flood stage and the peak surge did surpass levels seen during Helene:

• 5.08 feet at Naples (Helene peaked at 4.02 feet)
• 5.26 feet at Ft Myers (Helene peaked at 5.12 feet; the record here is 7.3 feet)

"The record surge level of 7.26 feet in Fort Myers was from Hurricane Ian in 2022," Powell said. "That means that if Milton’s storm surge level verifies, the top three storm surge events in Fort Myers will have all occurred in the past two years from Milton, Helene, and Ian."

There were a few high water levels in southern Collier County that stand out, including near Marco Island that peaked at 28.52 feet and at the North Naples Bay river gauge which reached major flood stage at 5.08 feet, surpassing water levels during Helene.

What about tornadoes?

"There were a record number of tornado warnings issued yesterday across the state. Collier and Lee Counties had a few tornado warnings – four that I can see," Powell said.

There were 126 tornado warnings issued in Florida overall, which far surpasses the state record set by Hurricane Irma in 2017. Hurricane Helene just a couple of weeks ago comes in at No. 3, Powell said..

"Of course, we’ll have to wait until the damage surveys come in before knowing the exact number and strength of confirmed tornadoes." she said.

This number of 126 also ranks as the second-highest number of tornado warnings issued in a single day in any state, surpassed only by a tornado outbreak in Alabama in 2011 that led to 134 tornado warnings.

The News-Press is attempting to get other weather data from the National Weather Service in Tampa, including wind gusts and rainfall amounts.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Florida Climate Center: Milton's peak surge levels pass Helene, but not Ian in SW FL