Updated October 09, 2024 at 00:09 AM ET
Communities in Florida — some still reeling from Hurricane Helene — are now bracing for the landfall of a new storm, Category 5 Hurricane Milton, which is expected to reach the Tampa Bay area on Wednesday night.
A slew of advisories are in effect across large stretches of the western Florida coastline, where storm surge could reach as high as 15 feet. Storm surge could also reach 5 feet on parts of Florida's east coast as Milton exits the peninsula toward the Atlantic Ocean.
Storm surge on Florida's west coast is "probably the most serious threat to people's lives and property," Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said on Tuesday.
Milton intensified from a tropical storm to a powerful, life-threatening hurricane much faster than predicted.
"If you are in a storm surge warning area, this is an extremely life-threatening situation and you should follow any evacuation advice," National Hurricane Center Director Michael Brennan said earlier on Tuesday.
"You're gonna see large areas covered with deep water from the Gulf of Mexico pushing inland," Brennan said of the surge. "Structural damage to buildings, especially from destructive wave action, with some buildings being totally washed away. Some locations may be uninhabitable for an extended period."
After fluctuation earlier on Tuesday, by 11 p.m. ET, the storm had renewed intensity with sustained winds of 160 mph.
At Category 5 strength — the highest wind speed designation for these storms — the National Weather Service makes clear "catastrophic damage will occur."
Forecasters warn that Milton will get bigger as it approaches Florida, widening the potential areas where communities could see dangerous winds and flooding.
Local resources
Member stations across the NPR Network in Florida are covering the local impact of Hurricane Milton.
➡️ Orlando [via Central Florida Public Media]
Milton will reach Florida as a major storm
Milton is expected to make landfall on the western coast of Florida late Wednesday or early Thursday morning. But NHC forecasters also warn that weather conditions in Florida will start to deteriorate much earlier on Wednesday — and they urge people to complete any preparations as soon as possible.
"Hurricane conditions are expected in the warning area on the west coast of Florida as early as Wednesday afternoon, with tropical storm conditions beginning early Wednesday," the agency said.
Projections call for Milton to hit Florida's Gulf Coast south of Tampa as a major storm and to likely maintain hurricane strength as it blasts across the state south of Orlando and exits into the Atlantic Ocean. Forecasters caution that slight deviations in conditions could alter its track, and they urge residents to be vigilant for updates from local officials.
Counties have enforced mandatory evacuation zones, and state and local officials have profusely warned residents to follow those orders.
Schools in several counties are closed through Friday, member station WUSF reports, and the University of Florida and several other colleges canceled classes.
Large and dangerous
Milton underwent a stunning explosive intensification after becoming a hurricane on Sunday, ratcheting up its wind speeds over very warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico and benefiting from a lack of strong wind shear. By Monday night, it had sustained winds of 180 mph, making it a fearsome Category 5 storm.
This new threat comes just under two weeks after Hurricane Helene — another rapidly intensifying storm — brought catastrophic levels of storm surge, rain and strong winds to Florida.
The NHC's Brennan urged people well inland to be mindful of Milton's strong winds, saying that regardless of where it makes landfall, the storm could wreak destruction across the interior of the I-4 corridor over to Florida's east coast.
In some places within that region, he said, "we'll see widespread power outages, significant structural damage."
Evacuations and travel disruptions spread
As the storm approached, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a state of emergency for 51 counties.
"There's going to be impacts far beyond wherever the eye of the storm is," DeSantis warned in a Tuesday press conference.
"You should be executing your plan now. If you're going to get out, get out now. You have time today. Time will be running out very shortly if you wait any longer."
DeSantis said that the state's hurricane preparedness plan included 5,000 members of the National Guard on duty and would soon expand to 8,000 — a figure he estimated was probably the largest pre-storm deployment of the National Guard in Florida history.
As demand for fuel surges, FHP troopers are escorting fuel trucks to replenish the supply at gas stations along evacuation routes… https://t.co/BNgtBmVGc7
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) October 8, 2024
As Floridians continued to get clear of Milton's path, DeSantis said the state had gas in stock within the state to help replenish stations' depleted reserves and has an additional 1.2 million gallons of gas being brought in.
By Tuesday evening, however, nearly 20% of stations had run out of fuel, according to analysis from the technology company GasBuddy.
Hardest hit by the fuel shortages were the Tampa Bay area, where some 47% of gas stations were out of stock, and the Fort Myers/Naples area, with 30% of gas stations reporting depleted resources.
Meanwhile, Uber is offering free rides to state-approved shelters in counties evacuating ahead of the storm, Florida officials said.
The U.S. Coast Guard’s St. Petersburg sector declared “port condition Zulu” as of Tuesday morning, closing 19 Florida ports to traffic. The designation means “gale force winds could impact our maritime operations within 12 hours,” according to Port Tampa Bay. The port says Milton will disrupt the plans of at least three cruise ship companies: Carnival; Margaritaville at Sea; and Royal Caribbean.
Air travel into and around Florida is already being disrupted by Milton. Tampa International Airport halted flights and shut down operations on Tuesday. The Federal Aviation Administration said it was "closely monitoring" the path of the hurricane and advised travelers to check the agency's flight travel dashboard and their airlines for updates.
The state's tourism industry also felt the squeeze of the coming storm. Disney World announced on Tuesday it would close its Orlando theme parks by Wednesday afternoon and would "likely" remain closed on Thursday.
Other popular Florida attractions, including Universal Studios and SeaWorld, also announced temporary closures.
At the Florida Aquarium, which was closed beginning on Tuesday, a number of animals and other sea life were moved, including nine penguins who were moved from the first floor to higher ground. Additionally, thousands of corals were being transported to safer locations across Florida and Georgia, the aquarium said.
Biden cancels trip due to Milton
Milton was on track to make landfall just before President Biden’s scheduled departure Thursday for visits to Germany and Angola. But on Tuesday, Biden said he’s postponing the trip, citing the hurricane and the continuing federal response to Helene.
"I just don't think I can be out of the country at this time,” the president told reporters at the White House. "I urge everyone, everyone, currently located in Hurricane Milton's path to listen to local officials and follow the safety instructions."
Biden said he spoke with DeSantis on Monday and gave him his personal phone number. He also said he has told governors and other leaders in the storm-hit area that he will make sure he gets them anything they ask for to respond to the storms.
Georgia's governor declared a state of emergency in some areas on Tuesday, as the Georgia coast could also see storm surge reaching 4 or 5 feet, according to forecasts.
Deanne Criswell, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, visited Tampa on Monday, before heading to disaster-struck North Carolina.
“We've sent additional resources down there to support them -- their search and rescue, power teams, et cetera,” Criswell told NPR’s Morning Edition, saying Florida’s government has worked hard to clear debris from Helene ahead of Milton’s arrival.
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