As multiple deaths were reported in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton and millions in Florida were left without power, a Canadian meteorologist in the area said itB次元官网网址檚 possible more extreme weather could come in the wake of the devastation and Canadians in the state should heed warnings about severe storms.

Mark Robinson, a meteorologist with The Weather Network who is based in Oakville, Ont., travelled to Florida on Tuesday to follow MiltonB次元官网网址檚 development along the west coast. After waiting out the hurricane in the shelter of a parking garage, Robinson said Canadians need to consider severe weather when travelling to the state.

B次元官网网址淐anadians B次元官网网址� they might not be prepared for hurricanes, they might not be prepared for what these storms can do,B次元官网网址� he said in a phone interview on Thursday.

B次元官网网址淭ake these storms seriously, theyB次元官网网址檙e not unsurvivable.B次元官网网址�

Robinson said he hunkered down in a parking garage in Sarasota, Fla., where the eye of the hurricane made landfall as a Category 3 storm Wednesday night, bringing with it a barrage of rain and powerful winds.

B次元官网网址淚t was hot and kind of humid, and then we just had a breath of air B次元官网网址� that little breath became a strong breeze, then stronger and stronger, until it was an absolute roar of wind,B次元官网网址� he said from Tampa, Fla., where he had traveled to on Thursday.

B次元官网网址淲e had to get back into our parking garage as the stronger eye wall came on shore and really wrecked Sarasota.B次元官网网址�

Robinson said there was debris flying across streets, cars stuck on roadways, and damage to trees and the roofs of buildings. Some areas in the state saw flooding after the storm surge, he said.

Robinson said heB次元官网网址檚 spoken to several Florida residents who were bracing for the storm in local hotels after evacuating from their homes, many of whom had already gone through the same exercise just two weeks ago during Hurricane Helene.

B次元官网网址淎 lot of the feeling was exhaustion,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 think a lot of people were just resigned to the fact that they might lose their houses. And that is demoralizing.B次元官网网址�

Robinson said Hurricane MiltonB次元官网网址檚 rapid development made forecasting the exact location and landfall time challenging to predict, meaning residents in the state had little time to prepare.

B次元官网网址淚t was a bit unusual in that it blew up right on the Gulf of Mexico, and then just immediately started rocketing east,B次元官网网址� he said.

Millions of people had been ordered to evacuate across 11 Florida counties in preparation for the storm. The storm had also spawned multiple reported tornadoes, some killing at least four people in St. Lucie County on FloridaB次元官网网址檚 east coast, according to local officials.

Florida authorities are still assessing the damage across the state in MiltonB次元官网网址檚 aftermath, and Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday that the state is also assessing the need for points of distribution for water, food and other supplies.

There are many Canadians who live in Florida seasonally, and Foreign Affairs Minister M茅lanie Joly had urged them to leave Wednesday. Florida is a popular travel destination for Canadians as well, and some in the state during the hurricane said they had to take safety measures amid the storm.

Rob Westgate, a Canadian Press reporter who was on vacation in Orlando, Fla., during the hurricane, said he and other tourists at Disney World were told to shelter in their hotel rooms as the park closed and the eye passed just south of the city.

B次元官网网址淚t was pretty windy if youB次元官网网址檙e in the face of the wind,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淓verybody down here has been fantastic. A lot of hurricane veterans.B次元官网网址�

Robinson, the meteorologist, said early computer models show there are still weather conditions developing that can produce tropical cyclones, which could lead to further hurricanes in the U.S. and up to Eastern Canada. While research on the effects of climate change on these kinds of severe weather events is ongoing, Robinson said thereB次元官网网址檚 evidence itB次元官网网址檚 increasing the potential for hurricanes.

ItB次元官网网址檚 part of the reason why Robinson urged Canadians who travel to Florida to consider the impact of severe weather on their time in the state.

Canadians B次元官网网址� especially snowbirds who live in the state part time B次元官网网址� should also consider how storms could affect their property ownership and insurance coverage, he said. He added that residents should always follow the advisories of local officials.

B次元官网网址淎 good way of looking at it is to educate yourself, realize these storms do hit Florida on a regular basis,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚f you do pay attention to what the authorities are telling you, they will steer you correctly.B次元官网网址�