Live updates on Milton

Milton continues to grow in size as it moves closer to the west coast of Florida.

Location: 150 miles southwest of Tampa
Wind speed: 130 mph
Direction: north-northeast at 16 mph

This week, Hillsborough County purchased four all-terrain vehicles that are amphibious ... which means they can drive through water.

They're called SHERPs.

"Consider them humanitarian monster trucks that can reach people in the most difficult situations and locations," said Jason Dougherty, Hillsborough County fire chief. "Our sheriff's office proved how valuable these vehicles were during Hurricane hurricane Helene."

Dougherty says these vehicles will enhance their water rescue operations and overall responses.

The county also has 12 tactical search and rescue teams, eight rapid needs assessment teams, and double the staff.

Wherever you're seeking shelter, remain there until you're given the all clear.

Sarasota County officials warn storm surge that pushes into rivers and creeks could impact people in neighborhoods as far as 10 miles or more from the coast.

Siesta Key could get nine or more feet of water, and so could patches along the Philippi Creek, which stretches miles inland in Sarasota County.

The southern part of Sarasota County is expected to see the worst of the inland flooding.

Sandra Tapfumaneyi is Sarasota's emergency management chief.

"Nokomis is extremely low in this area that storm surge is going to push, it may even cross 75 on some areas, depending on how low lying 75 is in those areas," she said. "It's a possibility.

"The southern part of Nokomis, into Venice, a lot of area. This is really where we start to see inland flooding. Is down the southern part of the county."

Hurricane Milton could bring up to 18 inches of rain, combined with storm surge of 10 to 15 feet,

As Hurricane Milton advances, emergency preparedness is crucial. If you're in danger or trapped, your first step should always be to call 911.

Even if your cell network is down, the call might still connect. If calling fails, you can also text 911 in all Florida counties except Hendry, Holmes and Miami-Dade. If texting doesn’t work, there may still be other options available.

In the event that calls fail to connect, satellite emergency text services will be available for Google Pixel 9 and iPhone models 14 and up.

Texting emergency services via satellite with iPhone

Most local emergency numbers require iOS 16.4 or later to connect to emergency services via satellite.

1. Tap “Emergency Text via Satellite.”  
2. Tap “Report emergency.” 
3. Answer the emergency questions (again, using taps) to best describe your situation. 
4. Choose if you want to notify your emergency contacts and share the location and the nature of your emergency. 
5. To connect to a satellite, follow the onscreen instructions. 
6. After you’re connected, continue following the onscreen instructions to stay connected while you send your message to emergency services. 

Get emergency help via satellite with Android Google Pixel

This feature is only available on Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL and Pixel 9 Pro Fold phones. Google Messages must also be the default messaging app to use this service.

1. Dial 911 immediately. If you don’t have a mobile or Wi-Fi network, you’ll find an option to use Satellite SOS in the dialer. 
2. Tap “Satellite SOS.”  
3. To describe your emergency, fill out the emergency questionnaire. 
4. To connect to the satellite, follow the onscreen prompts to correctly position your phone. (Note that connection and response times vary based on location, site conditions and other factors.) 
5. Once you’re connected, the emergency service provider should reply via text within a few minutes. To receive replies, stay outside with a clear view of the sky. When you want to end the satellite text conversation, press the “End” button and follow the prompts. 

The Florida Department of Corrections said Wednesday on its website it has evacuated 5,640 incarcerated people and more evacuations are underway.

It has also canceled visitation across the state through Sunday. For visitation updates and announcements, text FDCVISIT to 888-777.

FDC said it has relocated incarcerated people from the following Tampa Bay area prisons:

• Bradenton Bridge
• DeSoto Work Camp
• Hernando Correctional Institution
• Largo Road Prison
• Polk Work Camp
• St. Petersburg Community Release Center
• Suncoast Community Release Center
• The Transition House of Bartow
• The Transition House of Tarpon Springs
• Zephyrhills Correctional Institution

For a full list of evacuated facilities, click here.

AP

About 35 Waffle House locations along Florida’s west coast are closed as Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall late Wednesday or early Thursday.

The breakfast chain is known for being open 24/7, even on holidays, and Florida residents regularly gauge how devastating a storm will be by whether the local Waffle House remains open or alters operating hours.

Most of the closures are in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Fort Myers – though select locations near Naples and Lehigh Acres remain open, according to a map and “Waffle House index” that the restaurant chain published on social media Tuesday.

Manatee and Pinellas counties are not planning to evacuate jails ahead of Hurricane Milton.

A Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson told WUFT the jail, which is in evacuation Zone B, was a “secure building” where incarcerated people and employees would be safe. Zone B is currently under a mandatory evacuation order.

A Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson also told WUFT Orient Road Jail is transporting incarcerated people to Falkenburg Road Jail. Orient Road Jail is in mandatory evacuation Zone A, while Falkenburg Road Jail is in Zone E.

Other state prisons in Hernando, Pasco, Manatee and Sarasota counties have not evacuated, according to WUFT.

A Manatee County Jail deputy told Newsweek Tuesday the two-story facility has supplies and sandbags, and incarcerated people could be moved to the top floor of the building if there's flooding. The jail is in evacuation Zone A.

Hillsborough County officials urged citizens to stay in their shelters Wednesday amid a narrowing window to evacuate.

Conditions were expected deteriorate and the time to get somewhere safe is now, Hillsborough County Emergency Management director Tim Dudley said at a news conference.

Local shelters are open but filling up quickly. Shelters in Shields Middle School and Erwin Technical College are at capacity, but Steinbrenner High School, Pizzo K-8 School and Middleton High School shelters have space.

Three new shelters will also open at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday in Collins PK-8 School, Mulrennan Middle School and Lockhart Elementary Magnet School.

Florida Department of Emergency Management buses will also continue evacuating people Wednesday until noon, Dudley said.

A county official warned residents against going outside immediately after the storm for sight-seeing. Hillsborough County Commission Chair Ken Hagan said to not venture outside even during periods of calm.

“Don’t be disaster tourists,” Hagan said. “The last thing we need to be doing is responding to a call that could have been avoidable”

Sheriff Chad Chronister,also emphasized the importance of making smart choices ahead of landfall.

“I can't imagine how you would feel when you ask for help and it's too dangerous and help is not coming,” he said. “Don't be that person.”

Tampa Fire Rescue Chief Jason Dougherty said the agency acquired four new amphibian utility task vehicles called Sherps to aid in search and rescue after the storm.

Sen. Jay Collins, R-Tampa, said he and his wife drove through evacuation zones A and B on Tuesday to warn residents in mobile homes and recreational vehicles about the life-threatening storm surge and winds.

He said every protocol and plan is in place with the state National Guard activating and mobilizing 200 people. Florida’s wildlife agency was deploying high-water vehicles and the state Department of Health was providing 15 special needs shelters in Hernando, Hillsborough, Lee, Pinellas, Pasco and Polk counties.

“You’re prepared, think slow, don’t be scared and make good decisions,” Collins said.

There's currently 766 pets across seven Pasco County emergency shelters.

Most are dogs and cats. But people are also bringing in lizards, rabbits, birds, a guinea pig, a ferret, turtles and sugar gliders - which are similar to flying squirrels.

Family pets must be caged. You must also bring food, water and any medicine for your critter.

Emergency officials remind residents that only family pets - not farm animals - are allowed in shelters. That's a rule that's been enforced since a miniature horse was brought to a county shelter during Hurricane Irma.

There's still time to get to a shelter in Pasco County, but weather conditions will start to deteriorate around 4 this afternoon.

Florida Highway Patrol

Here are bridges that are closed as of midday Wednesday:

• Sunshine Skyway (I-275)
• Howard Frankland Bridge (I-275)
• Westbound Gandy Bridge (U.S. 92)
• Westbound Courtney Campbell Causeway (State Road 60)

The National Weather Service in Miami posted a photo on X of a funnel crossing Alligator Alley on Wednesday morning with the words: “TORNADO crossing I-75 as we speak! Seek shelter NOW!”

The tornado touched down in a lightly populated Everglades area near the Miccosukee Service Plaza.

Forecasters had warned that tornadoes were likely as Milton approached.

The weather service also reposted this video showing the tornado.

National Hurricane Center

Milton continues to maintain Category 4 strength as it moves closer to Florida's west coast.

Location: 250 miles southwest of Tampa
Wind speed: 155 mph
Direction: northeast at 40 mph

Pinellas County has opened three additional general population emergency shelters:

• Palm Harbor Middle School, 1800 Tampa Road, Palm Harbor
• New Heights Elementary School, 3901 37th St. N., St. Petersburg
• Fairmount Park Elementary School, 575 41st St. S., St. Petersburg

 General population shelters do not accept pets.

> Click here for a list of all Pinellas shelters as well as those in other counties in the Tampa Bay area.

Hillsborough County is opening three more shelters. They are set to open at 10:30 a.m. today. Note that these are not pet-friendly:

• Mulrennan Middle School , 4215 Durant Road, Valrico.
• Lockhart Elementary Magnet School, 3719 N. 17th St., Tampa.
• Collins PK-8 School, 12424 Summerfield Blvd., Riverview.

These are for residents in zones A and B, mobile and manufactured homes, homes vulnerable to storm surge and flooding, and those that may be more susceptible to wind damage.

This brings the total to 11 general public shelters and three special-needs shelters.

> Click here for county-by-county shelter information.

Outgoing Senate President Kathleen Passidomo said Tuesday that storm-related issues likely “will dominate” the next legislative session.

Gov. Ron DeSantis and state Emergency Management director Kevin Guthrie held a conference call with state lawmakers Tuesday to advise them about Hurricane Milton.

DeSantis gave lawmakers “an overview of where we’re at, what we’ve done to prepare for it,” Passidomo said.

“We talked a little bit about having to deal with the aftermath of (Hurricane) Helene … being somewhat in the same area” and having to grapple with issues such as debris removal, she said.

She said damage from Helene and Milton likely will be the focus of the next legislative session, which is scheduled to begin in March.

“Frankly, although he (DeSantis) didn’t talk about this now, once we’re through this cycle, we’re going to have to start looking at … a whole new — this is my feeling — a whole new philosophy of reconstruction and resilience and resiliency in our state,” Passidomo, a real estate attorney, said.

> Full story

National Hurricane Center

Winds will begin building along the west coast this afternoon as Milton makes its approach. It remains a high-end Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 155 mph, and it's gaining forward speed.

Location: 250 miles southwest of Tampa
Wind Speed: 155 mph
Direction: northeast at 16 mph

As of 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, more than 4,130 people and close to 700 pets are in Sarasota county evacuation centers.

All evacuation centers have space for more community members.

All Sarasota County evacuation centers are pet-friendly and at this time, have plenty of room.

More on shelter locations here.

In Manatee County, MCAT buses are offering free rides to shelters until 12:00 pm today [Wed].

If you are Level A, B or C and haven't evacuated, officials say this is your last chance, evacuate now.

• Manatee County shelters have room, and all are pet friendly.
• Virgil Mills Elementary School, 7200 69th St. E., Palmetto
• Jessie P. Miller Elementary School, 601 43rd St. W., Bradenton
• Myakka Elementary School, 37205 Manatee Ave., Myakka City
• W D Sugg Middle School, 5602 38th Ave. W., Bradenton
• Barbara A. Harvey Elementary School, 8610 115th Ave. E., Parrish
• B D Gullett Elementary School, 12125 44th Ave. E., Bradenton
• Gilbert W McNeal Elementary School, 6325 Lorraine Rd., Lakewood Ranch
• Dr. Mona Jain Middle School, 12205 44th Ave. E., Bradenton
• Robert H. Prine Elementary School, 3801 Southern Parkway, Bradenton
• Buffalo Creek Middle School, 7320 69th St E, Palmetto

Despite a surge in resources to help Tampa-area communities clear debris after Hurricane Helene, it wasn't enough.

Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri says piles of furniture, appliances and all sorts of materials remain on the streets in hard-hit areas like the beaches as Milton approaches the state.

"All the stuff that's sitting on the side of the road was in people's homes two weeks ago. Now it's sitting on the side of the road," Gualtieri said. "And that's all going to get floated around, so we really do have great concern about the aftermath. And so don't anticipate quick access back to the barrier islands."

Extreme winds and heavy rain could cause damage throughout the region even if the area doesn't get the catastrophic storm surge currently forecast.

Gualtieri warns if power outages wipe out traffic signals and downed trees and debris make roads impassable, he may have to shut down access to the entire county. He's telling residents not to return to their homes until they hear from officials it's safe to do so.

NOAA

Residents across the greater Tampa Bay region are waking up to rain early Wednesday morning, and conditions will continue to deteriorate throughout the day as Hurricane Milton makes its approach toward Florida's west coast.

As of 5 a.m., Milton remained a powerful Category 5 hurricane with winds of 160 mph, with a projected landfall somewhere between Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor late Wednesday night, according to the National Weather Service.

The weather service says conditions will worsen starting later Wednesday morning into the afternoon as Milton nears the region.

> Full story

National Hurricane Center

Milton is still a Category 5 storm and gaining forward speed as it approaches Florida's west coast with a projected landfall of late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning.

Location: 485 miles southwest of Tampa
Wind Speed: 160 mph
Direction: northeast at 14 mph

National Hurricane Center

Weather conditions are expected to deteriorate Wednesday afternoon as Milton approaches the region.

Location: 360 miles southwest of Tampa
Maximum wind speed: 160 mph
Direction: Northeast at 12 mph

National Hurricane Center

In addition to storm surge, 6-12 inches of rainfall is expected across the region through Thursday.

Location: about 405 miles southwest of Tampa
Maximum wind speed: 160 mph
Direction: Northeast at 12 mph

Milton is expected to make landfall on Florida's central Gulf coast late Wednesday.

“We must be prepared for a major, major impact to the west coast of Florida,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday.

As of late Tuesday afternoon, the storm was about 480 miles (775 kilometers) southwest of Tampa with sustained winds of 165 mph (270 kph).

President Joe Biden, who postponed an overseas trip so he could remain at the White House to monitor Milton, warned that it “could be one of the worst storms in 100 years to hit Florida."

With the storm expected to remain fairly strong as it crosses Florida, hurricane warnings were extended early Tuesday to parts of the state’s east coast.

More here.

Two weeks ago, Hurricane Helene “spared” the Tampa Bay region a direct hit and yet storm surge still caused catastrophic damage, flooding homes, drowning people who decided to stay near the coast and leaving massive piles of debris that still sit along roadsides.

Now that Hurricane Milton, a more powerful storm, is heading straight for the same region, what can residents expect?

“Worse. Much worse,” said former Federal Emergency Management Director Craig Fugate, a Florida resident who previously ran the state's emergency management division.

The cities near the mouth of Tampa Bay saw some of the worst storm surge in memory during Helene even though the storm landed more than 100 miles (161 kilometers) to the north. Now forecasters say the low-lying region could be hit with 15 feet (5 meters) of storm surge.

“This isn’t water that rises slowly. This is fast-moving water with waves. It’s like a battering ram," Fugate said. "You just don’t want to be in that area. That’s how we lost a lot of lives in all those surge areas where people didn’t get out. They either drowned or were crushed by their houses collapsing on them.”

Here's what you need to know about storm surge.

Four Hillsborough County sites will remain open from 7 a.m. to noon, Wednesday, Oct. 9, to accept yard waste and mixed storm debris, weather-permitting.

The facilities will close at noon as Hurricane Milton approaches West-Central Florida.

• Northwest County Solid Waste Facility, 8001 W. Linebaugh Ave., Tampa, FL 33625 

• South County Solid Waste Facility, 13000 U.S. 41, Gibsonton, FL 33534 

• Hillsborough Heights Debris Site, 6209 County Road 579, Seffner, FL 33584 

• Resource Recovery Facility Debris Site, 350 N. Falkenburg Road, Tampa, FL 33619. This facility will remain open all night tonight (Tuesday) through noon tomorrow. 

Milton remains a Category 5 hurricane after regaining strength earlier today.

On the forecast track, the center of Milton will move across the eastern Gulf of Mexico tonight and Wednesday, make landfall along the west-central coast of Florida Wednesday night, and move off the east coast of Florida over the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday.

Location: 440 miles southwest of Tampa
Wind Speed: 165 mph
Direction: east-northeast at 10 mph

Pinellas County has opened an additional shelter at Campbell Park Elementary School, 1051 7th Ave. S., St. Petersburg.

The special-needs shelter at Palm Harbor University High - Building 19, 1900 Omaha St, Palm Harbor, is now completely full.

For a county-by-county list of shelters, click here.

Tampa General Hospital

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Facebook

Hospitals and other health care facilities on Florida’s Gulf Coast — still reeling from Hurricane Helene — are now revving up for Hurricane Milton.

The system, which is shaping up to be one of the most powerful to hit the region in years, is expected to make landfall near the Tampa area late Wednesday. Long-term care facilities in counties where mandatory evacuations have been issued are taking their patients elsewhere, while hospitals are largely on guard, preparing to stay open through the storm.

According to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ website, 10 hospitals have reported evacuations as of Tuesday afternoon. Three hundred health care facilities have evacuated as of this morning, the most many of the staff working there could remember, said Florida Agency for Health Care Administration deputy secretary Kim Smoak. That count included 63 nursing homes and 169 assisted living facilities.

Steve McCoy, chief of the Florida Department of Health’s Bureau of Emergency Medical Oversight, said it is the state’s “largest evacuation ever.”

Read more here.

Chris O'Meara

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AP

A few airports in Florida began closing and airlines canceled hundreds of flights on Tuesday ahead of Hurricane Milton's arrival. Government officials from President Joe Biden on down warned companies not to overcharge people fleeing the storm's path.

“I’m calling on the airlines and other companies to provide as much service as possible to accommodate evacuations, and not to engage in price gouging — to just do it on the level," Biden said after a hurricane briefing.

Airlines defended their actions, some saying they had imposed fare caps in the last couple days.

By midafternoon Tuesday on the East Coast, airlines had canceled more than 700 U.S. flights, compared with fewer than 200 cancellations on Monday and fewer than 100 each of the two previous days, according to the FlightAware tracking service.

About half of Tuesday's cancellations were at Tampa International Airport, which shut down in the morning as Milton approached.

Read more here.

Tampa Bay Water gives tips on how to preserve and properly store tap water ahead of Hurricane Milton.

Hillsborough County will open two more emergency storm shelters at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 8 for residents in Evacuation Zones A and B, and those whose homes are vulnerable to storm surge, flooding, and wind damage.

• Reddick Elementary School, 325 W. Lake Dr., Wimauma, FL 33598
• Steinbrenner High School (pet friendly), 5575 W. Lutz Lake Fern Rd., Lutz, FL 33558

See our list of county-by-county shelters here.

The Sunshine Skyway Bridge, Howard Frankland Bridge, Gandy and Courtney Campbell Causeway are all anticipated to close by Wednesday afternoon.

All cars, including electric vehicles, can park for FREE at any City of Tampa garage until at least Friday, Oct. 11 at 12 p.m.

Note: Electric vehicles must park on the third level or higher.

Two more shelters are open now at Melrose Elementary (1752 13th Ave. S. in St. Pete) and Belleair Elementary (1156 Lakeview Road in Clearwater).

See a full county-by-county shelter list here.

National Hurricane Center

Milton continues to intensify, and has returned to Category 5 strength with maximum sustained winds of 165 mph.

Hurricane warnings have been extended on Florida's east coast to include the St. Lucie/Martin county line, with a hurricane watch south to Palm Beach County.

It's projected to make landfall Wednesday night along the west coast and crossing the state before moving into the Atlantic on Thursday.

Location: 480 miles southwest of Tampa
Wind Speed: 165 mph
Direction: east-northeast at 9 mph

Pinellas County Government

If you live in an evacuation zone and haven't left yet for Milton, you need to do so immediately.

Pinellas County Emergency Management Director Cathie Perkins stressed the area could get 10 to 15 feet of storm surge. That's not something you can survive in if you're along the coasts.

"This is the ocean coming into your living rooms. This is fast-rising water with a lot of pressure behind it. So don't think that you're going to be able to ride that out. Don't think you're going to be able to protect your building. It's going to be pushing against the walls of your structure for hours and hours and this is why we need you to go," Perkins said.

Twelve people died in the county during Hurricane Helene. All stayed behind in evacuation Zone A. Perkins says residents in Zones B and C who didn't flood during that storm could this time and need to leave too.

Milton poses another threat that Helene didn't — incredibly strong winds. That's why Perkins is urging people in mobile homes to evacuate even if they're far from water.

"We are also looking at potentially having tornados. We also have saturated grounds which means trees are going to come down. And I don't want somebody to be in a mobile home when a tree crashes through their roof or a tornado comes through their neighborhood because they are not going to be able to hide within a mobile home."

Officials say they're encouraged to see a lot more people heeding evacuation orders compared to Helene. But they say time is running out for those who haven't.

There are now 10 emergency shelters in Pinellas County if you need a place to stay. You can find a list here.

All classes at USF are canceled through at least Thursday, according to a news release.

There will be no in-person classes or labs on Saturday. The school said it anticipates holding classes asynchronously; students won’t have to meet Saturday, but they’ll get an assignment from their instructor that doesn’t have to be finished that day. USF asked faculty to be patient and flexible with students.

All USF business operations and campuses are closed through at least Thursday as well.

Only employees who are essential personnel or identified as critical to campus operations should work, go to campus, or work remotely on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, according to the release. Nonessential personnel or those who aren’t deemed critical to campus operations aren’t expected to work those days.

USF expects to continue remote business operations on Friday. Only employees who are essential personnel, identified as critical to campus operations or working in a facility open on Friday should work in person. Employees who don’t fit in those categories will work remotely if normal business operations continue.

USF asks employees to contact supervisors if you’re unsure of your status. The school also strongly encourages supervisors to offer flexibility for those who need more time, including adjusting work schedules.

Once more information in available, USF will make a final determination on class schedules, campus reopening, and business operations on Friday and Saturday.

USF Health clinical facilities will be closed from Wednesday through Friday. To reschedule your appointment, call 813-821-8038 or use MyChart.

USF closed residence halls on the Tampa campus Tuesday morning. Students who live on campus and needed shelter were transported to Jennings Middle School. The shelter is only open to USF residential students and some University of Tampa students; it isn’t available for nonresidential USF students.

Residence halls at USF’s St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee campuses closed Monday. Students who needed shelter were taken to the Tampa campus and were also transported to Jennings Middle School. All students at the shelter will stay there until it’s safe to return, according to the release.

USF will send more details to residential students about exact times and locations for evacuations.

For a list of Hurricane Milton FAQs at USF, click here.

The school will share any updates through their website, social media accounts, MyUSF and email.

Grant Blankenship

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Georgia Public Broadcasting

Kelsey and Brent Yantzer left Tampa with their two daughters Monday night at 8.

Early Tuesday afternoon, they had made it as far north as an interestate rest stop in Macon, Georgia. There, they planned to wait for Kelsey's mom who was evacuating from Bradenton.

"We made a lot of stops to eat because the traffic was bad, so we just kind of pulled off to eat and take our time. And then we found a rest area. There's no hotels. But right after we got into Georgia, around 5 a.m., and we slept for two hours."

"We're lucky we got a parking space. Like people were parked wherever they could."

Tampa resident Felicia Mendez was also in Macon on her way to Nashville. She said though she fared better than others during Hurricane Helene, she is taking no chances with Milton.

"It's not a joke. Yeah. Don't. When they tell you to go, go. It's not a joke. It's a serious."

Grant Blankenship

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Georgia Public Broadcasting

Three generations of the Baena-Martinez family of Tampa stopped at a Macon, Georgia rest area to share a late lunch/early dinner on the tailgate of one of the trucks in their family convoy.

"It's not fun and jokes. It's really like you're leaving, you're leaving your life behind, so you don't know, like, where you're going to come back to or even if you're going to be able to come back," said Gisel Martinez, traveling with her two kids.

Manatee County Utilities crews are shutting off the water service to the barrier island communities.

The shut-off of potable water service and sanitary sewer service will impact Anna Maria Island, Holmes Beach, Bradenton Beach, and Longboat Key.

National Hurricane Center

Air Force Reserve hurricane hunters say Milton is once again strengthening, with winds up to 155 mph.

Location: 520 miles southwest of Tampa
Wind Speed: 155 mph
Direction: east-northeast at 8 mph

St. Petersburg leaders are worried about what Hurricane Milton might do to some construction cranes downtown and in the gateway area, if it hits the city head-on.

These cranes are used to put up high-rises. They're massive and are tied to the buildings, but some of them can only take winds of up to 110 miles per hour.

St. Petersburg Building Official Don Tyre said the towers at 400 Central are a particular concern because it has one 500-foot tower crane and another that's 600-feet high.

"If we anticipate wind speeds above a hundred, even though the safety factor is 110-145 for those cranes, it could be a potential hazard because of the gust wind speed."

There are also tower cranes at 275 1st Ave. N., 1000 1st Ave. N, and 101 Main St. N.

St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch said while they're being weathervaned, it's not feasible to lower or secure the tower cranes because of how quickly Milton is intensifying and how fast it's coming on.

Residents living near the cranes are being encouraged to either leave, or move to an inner room without windows.

Hurricane Milton, despite possible fluctuations in strength and track adjustments, is still expected to bring hurricane-force winds and historic storm surge to the greater Tampa Bay region and Florida's west coast later this week.

Tuesday, Oct. 8 is the last day residents have to make preparations and evacuate.

Here's what you need to know, and a county-by-county list of shelters.

Pinellas County Utilities will restrict potable water service on the barrier islands beginning Wednesday at 10 a.m. from Sand Key south to Fort De Soto.

County substations are still undergoing repairs caused by damages from Hurricane Helene.

Customers will experience very low pressure after this time.
 
It follows the full closure of the barrier islands n Tuesday at 7 p.m. Anyone who has not yet evacuated is urged to do so now.

The restriction will also affect water service to fire lines, which means fire rescue crews will not have quick access to water from fire hydrants in the event of a fire.

Evacuees are advised to turn off the power to their homes before leaving to reduce the risk of an electrical fire due to flood inundation.

Pinellas County has stopped its debris collection ahead of Milton, though there is still some time to get rid of your trash.

The county stopped collections at noon so staff could prepare their homes and families. They also need to prepare the equipment so it's ready to clear roads after the storm.

The residential debris sites for unincorporated residents on Icot Boulevard and at the corner of Keystone Road and East Lake Road also closed. But the Pinellas County Solid Waste Facility in St. Petersburg (3095 114th Ave N, St. Petersburg) is open to accept household trash until 6 p.m.

State-run operations to accept storm debris from Hurricane Helene are ongoing at the Solid Waste Facility. Residents can bring their storm debris in through the 28th Street gate.

There are other state and federal debris removal efforts underway as well.

The county urges residents in evacuation areas to finish their home preparations immediately and plan to be in their safe place by Tuesday night.

Pinellas and Sarasota counties are closing off to the barrier islands Tuesday night at 7.

In Sarasota, this includes, Casey Key, Manasota Key, Siesta Key and Longboat Key.

People can still leave after 7 p.m., but no one is allowed back in until after search and rescue is complete after Milton passes.

Residents are urged to take several days’ worth of supplies when they leave.

Expect to see uniformed personnel at many key roadways by the coast.

Pinellas will be shutting down all access to the barrier islands.

On Tuesday, only residents, business owners , ride share drivers and cleanup crews were allowed on. But that's stopping Tuesday night.

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office says it will maintain a significant law enforcement presence on the barrier islands to protect residential and business owner property until it is no longer safe for first responders.

The Florida Department of Emergency Management is offering charter buses in Hillsborough County to take people to shelters, according to a news release.

The buses will run from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

For help with evacuation, call 800-729-3413.

Tuesday’s bus schedule is as follows:

Bus 10: Northwest Hillsborough/Tampa

• A: Winn-Dixie
  13016 Race Track Road, Tampa, FL
  7-9:30 a.m.
• B: ALDI
  10419 Sheldon Road, Tampa, FL
  9:30-11 a.m.

Bus 11: City of Tampa

• A: Publix
  2724 W. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa, FL
  7-9:30 a.m.
• B: Publix
  2401 W. Azeele St., Tampa, FL
  9:30-11 a.m.
• C: Publix
  4315 W. Gandy Blvd., Tampa, FL
  11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Bus 12: City of Tampa

• A: Publix
  6001 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa, FL
  7-9:30 a.m.
• B: Publix
  1105 E. Twiggs St., Tampa, FL
  9:30-11 a.m.

Bus 13: City of Tampa

• A: Publix
  11502 N. 53rd St., Temple Terrace, FL
  7-9:30 a.m.
• B: Publix
  5450 E. Busch Blvd., Temple Terrace, FL
  9:30-11 a.m.

Bus 14: South-Central Hillsborough County

• A: Winn-Dixie
  6929 U.S. 301, Riverview, FL
  7-9:30 a.m.
• B: Publix
  13154 U.S. 301, Riverview, FL
  9:30-11 a.m.
• C: Winn-Dixie
  1023 S. Tamiami Trail, Ruskin, FL
  11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Bus 15: Eastern Hillsborough County

• A: Publix
  2515 Thonotosassa Road, Plant City, FL
  7-9:30 a.m.
• B: Winn-Dixie
  205 W. Alexander St., Plant City, FL
  9:30-11 a.m.

The Hillsborough Transit Authority is also offering free buses to shelters until 8 p.m. Tuesday.

For a list of shelters and evacuation orders in Hillsborough County, click here.

If you're bringing a pet to a pet-friendly shelter, bring a sturdy carrier for each pet that allows them to stand up and move around, according to the release. Bring a collar, leash and supplies for each pet to last seven days as well.

To find out if you're in an evacuation zone, click here.

To sign up to receive alerts from Hillsborough County, click here. You can also call the county’s storm information and help line at 833-HC-STORM or 833-427-8676.

Milton continues to be forecast as a major hurricane upon landfall as it expands in size.

The Storm Surge Warning has been extended southward along the east coast of Florida to Port Canaveral.

Location: 520 miles southwest of Tampa
Wind Speed: 150 mph
Direction: east-northeast at 9 mph

President Joe Biden participated in an Oval Office briefing Tuesday with a series of top administration officials to discuss the federal government’s ongoing response to Hurricane Helene and preparations for Hurricane Milton.

The president told reporters afterward of Milton, “My priority is to increase the size and presence of our effort.”

Biden postponed a planned trip later this week to Germany and Angola because of the storm, explaining, “I just don’t’ think I can be out of the country at this time.”

Biden also spoke about misinformation surrounding the federal response to Hurricane Helene, which Vice President Kamala Harris has blamed on former President Donald Trump. Biden said, “Those who do it do it to try to damage the administration.”

Asked about Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has complained about Harris’ comments about Helene, Biden said DeSantis “has been cooperative” and “said he’s gotten all that he needs.”

Biden said he told DeSantis, “You’re doing a great job” and “we thank you for it” and said he gave DeSantis “my personal cellphone number.”

The University of South Florida’s football game Friday against Memphis has been rescheduled.

The game at Tampa's Raymond James Stadium has been rescheduled to Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

Meantime, the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning have left Florida ahead of Milton to practice the rest of the week in the Raleigh area for their season opener at the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday night.

The Lightning’s home opener against Carolina is set for Saturday night and is on as scheduled for now.

The Buccaneers made a similar decision, deciding to travel early to New Orleans to practice for their game against the Saints on Sunday.

Mike Carlson

/

AP

 Despite reports of long lines at gas stations, and some without fuel, Gov. Ron DeSantis said there is no shortage of gas in Florida with millions of people evacuating ahead of Milton.

“Fuel continues to arrive in the state of Florida” he said Tuesday.

Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue said Port Tampa Bay has received six shipments of fuel since Saturday and that terminals are fully operating.

The governor said the state has a contingency plan to involve other state ports in case Port Tampa Bay takes a hit from Milton.

DeSantis said 27 fuel trucks were escorted by the Florida Highway Patrol to deliver more fuel to gas stations on Monday night, and the state is working with RaceTrac, Wawa, Shell and Walmart to ensure fuel trucks are working 24/7.

“We currently have 268,000 gallons of diesel, 110,000 gallons of gasoline. Those numbers are less than what they were 24 hours ago, because we've put a lot in, but we have an additional 1.2 million gallons of both diesel and gasoline that is currently en route to the state of Florida,” said DeSantis.

On Sunday, state Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie suggested evacuations could exceed the 6.8 million people who evacuated in advance of Hurricane Irma, a Category 3 storm that ran up the spine of the state in 2017.

On Tuesday, state officials could not estimate the number of people who had already evacuated by Tuesday morning, but DeSantis said “it’s a lot.”

DeSantis advised people to anticipate lines at gas stations and slow speeds on highways.

“Be prepared that you're not going to be able to go 75 miles an hour to get out of Dodge on the interstates right now,” DeSantis said.

To speed evacuating traffic, tolls were lifted Monday throughout the Tampa Bay and Orlando regions, including on Florida’s Turnpike from Interstate 75 to east of Orlando. On major highways, road shoulders were opened to provide additional lanes.

Information from News Service of Florida was used in this report.

Sarasota County has extended its evacuation order to Level C.

Anyone in Levels A, B, C, plus manufactured communities or a mobile or boat home, should leave their homes now.

Hillsborough and Pinellas county schools announced that all schools will be closed through Friday.

All extracurricular activities and athletics are also canceled through Friday.

Hillsborough's district adds that HOST before- and after-school care is also canceled through Friday.

The districts previously announced closures Monday through Wednesday.

National Hurricane Center

Portions of Florida's east coast, from the Indian River/St. Lucie county line north to Ponte Vedra Beach, are under a hurricane warning. A storm surge warning is in effect from the Volusia/Brevard county line north to the mouth of the St. Mary's River.

Maximum sustained winds have dropped to 145 mph, but Milton is still projected to make landfall as a Category 3 storm.

Location: 545 miles southwest of Tampa
Wind Speed: 145 mph
Direction: east-northeast at 12 mph

Julio Cortez

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AP

Highways were clogged Monday as residents heeded evacuation orders.

Mandatory evacuations have been issued for beach communities all along the Gulf coast, and those living in mobile homes and low-lying areas.

That means anyone who stays is on their own and first responders are not expected to risk their lives to rescue them at the height of the storm.

A steady stream of vehicles headed north toward the Florida Panhandle on Interstate 75. Traffic clogged the southbound lanes of the highway for miles as other residents headed for the relative safety of Fort Lauderdale and Miami on the other side of the state.

Stragglers were a problem during Helene and 2022's Ian. Many residents failed to heed ample warnings, saying they evacuated during previous storms only to have major surges not materialize. But there was evidence Monday that people were getting out before Milton arrives.

Sarasota is calling for people who live in Zones A -- AND B -- to evacuate now, ahead of Hurricane Milton.

Said Sarasota emergency management chief Sandra Tapfumaneyi: "This is going to be a historic storm for the west coast of Florida."

She says forecasts are calling for 10-15 feet of storm surge, which is double what the area saw in Hurricane Helene.

"If you are on a barrier island or anywhere near that level a near the coastline, you will not survive this storm surge, and it is imperative that you evacuate.," she said.

If you are making last minute preparations in Sarasota, the county has a few sandbag locations.

They are only open from 8 a.m. until 12.

• Twin Lakes Park, 6700 Clark Road, Sarasota
• 17th Street Park, 4730 17th St., Sarasota
• South County Fleet Services, 4571 SR 776/Englewood Road, Venice

And evacuation shelters in Sarasota open today at 10 a.m. Many are at public schools.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday suspended tolls on roads in West and Central Florida, along with Alligator Alley, to help traffic flow during Milton evacuation. He also opened left-shoulder use on highways.

Details can be found here.

National Hurricane Center

Hurricane Milton dropped in intensity overnight but remains an extremely powerful hurricane.

At 155 mph, Milton is just shy of Category 5 strength as it moves east toward the state.

Location: 560 miles southwest of Tampa
Wind Speed: 155 mph
Direction: east-northeast at 12 mph

Gabriella Paul

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WUSF

Roads, gas stations and hardware stores were packed on Monday as residents across the Tampa Bay region made hurricane preparations.

Chris Ansley has lived in Florida nearly three decades. He loaded plywood into the trunk of his car at a Home Depot on Bruce B. Downs Boulevard on Monday and admitted it's the first time he is boarding up his home.

"We just have a couple windows, and I needed to get a little plywood to cover that we've never covered them before, but this storm seems like it's headed right for us," he said.

Ansley said that while he lives farther inland, in Wesley Chapel, and isn't under a storm surge watch, he is worried about the hurricane-force winds. Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall near the Tampa Bay region with at least Category 3 wind speeds, according to a National Weather Service briefing from Monday evening.

As of 7 p.m. on Monday, Hurricane Milton was nearly 675 miles southwest of the Tampa Bay with max wind speeds of 180 miles per hour. Milton rapidly intensified to a Category 5 hurricane while many Tampa Bay residents were making storm preparations.

Read more here.

Anticipated storm surge levels could necessitate the shutdown of the Northeast and Southwest Sewer Treatment Facilities.

If the facilities are shut down, residents may be unable to use plumbing, including toilets, showers, and laundry.

Restoration of these services could take more than 24 hours post-storm, depending on the severity of impacts.

Check which sewer treatment plant serves your home or business here.

The Florida Division of Emergency Management has partnered with Uber to provide Floridians free rides to and from shelters in counties evacuating for Hurricane Milton.

How to get a ride:

• Open the Uber app
• Tap Account on the bottom right & tap Wallet

• Add promo code MILTONRELIEF

  Find a state-approved shelter: http://FloridaDisaster.org/Shelter-Status.

While fluctuations in intensity are expected, Milton is still forecast to remain an extremely dangerous hurricane through landfall in Florida.

Location: 650 miles southwest of Tampa
Wind Speed: 180 mph
Direction: east at 10 mph

In an effort to help clear the streets of curb-side storm household and yard/vegetation debris from Hurricane Helene, Dunedin is placing several dumpsters at the Jerry Lake Recreation Complex on Tuesday, Oct. 8 from 7:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. This is self-serve for Dunedin residents only. Staff will be there to assist.

Please do not place additional debris at the curb. This is for the safety of your homes, neighbors and our community before the arrival of Hurricane Milton.

Hillsborough County Solid Waste will suspend residential curbside and yard waste collection operations on Tuesday, Oct. 8.

Residents should not place any trash, recycling, or yard waste out for collection until after the storm passes. Regular collection service will resume as soon as conditions are safe enough to allow curbside collection, which is anticipated on Friday, Oct. 11

Residents whose pickup was missed due to the storm will receive collection service on their next regularly scheduled day.

Three Hillsborough County Community Collection Center sites are offering extended Tuesday. The three locations will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8. No Photo ID is required at any facility accepting debris. The locations are:

• Northwest County Solid Waste Facility - 8001 W. Linebaugh Ave., Tampa, FL 33625 
• Hillsborough Heights Solid Waste Facility - 6209 County Road 579, Seffner, FL 33584 
• South County Solid Waste Facility - 13000 U.S. 41, Gibsonton, FL 33534 

All three locations accept residential yard waste and wood disposal. Each location also accepts a variety of household items, including furniture, couches, chairs, tables, mattresses, washers, dryers, tires, and microwaves. Additionally, the centers accept batteries, electronics, and paint.

The Alderman's Ford Solid Waste Facility, 9402 County Road 39, Plant City, FL 33567, and the Wimauma Solid Waste Facility, 16180 W. Lake Dr., Wimauma, FL 33598, continue to be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8. These two locations only accept a variety of household items, including furniture, couches, chairs, tables, mattresses, washers, dryers, tires, and microwaves. Additionally, the centers accept batteries, electronics, and paint. They do not accept yard waste and wood disposal.

In addition, Hillsborough County’s Resource Recovery Facility, 350 N. Falkenburg Road, Tampa, FL 33619, remains open 24 hours a day until further notice. The Resource Recovery Facility accepts yard waste, construction and demolition debris, furniture, and other household items at no charge. It doesn’t accept household hazardous waste (paint, chemicals, etc.) or regular household garbage.

For additional information, visit HCFL.gov/SolidWaste.

Courtesy

/

The Florida Aquarium

In preparation for Hurricane Milton, the Florida Aquarium is relocating a sea turtle and thousands of corals from the Aquarium’s conservation campus in Apollo Beach to safer locations.

Sea Turtle Rescue and Care

The Florida Aquarium has been caring for a rescued sea turtle that was found stranded in a ditch on the side of the road in a Weeki Wachee neighborhood after being washed in by Hurricane Helene’s storm surge. A team from Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) rescued the turtle who was then transferred to The Florida Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center in Apollo Beach the next morning.

 To provide continuous supportive care, the turtle will be moved to The Florida Aquarium’s Tampa campus, where it will remain safely sheltered on the second floor during Hurricane Milton.

Coral Relocation Efforts

In a large-scale effort to ensure the populations of protected and threatened populations of corals in the care of the Florida Aquarium are safeguarded during Hurricane Milton, the Aquarium’s Coral Conservation Team, in collaboration with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is working with several partners to relocate thousands of corals. With concerns of a potentially high storm surge and severe winds, the team is relocating more than 4,000 coral juveniles and 100+ broodstock from the Coral Conservation and Research Center in Apollo Beach to other locations.

Key Relocation Efforts Include:

• The Reef Institute: Arrived in Apollo Beach earlier this afternoon and will transport corals to its West Palm Beach facility. Will also transport corals to the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science.
• The Georgia Aquarium: Arriving with a large truck later today to relocate additional corals to Atlanta.

These corals, including some rescued from last summer’s marine heatwave in the Florida Keys, are part of a broader initiative to safeguard species crucial to marine biodiversity. The Florida Aquarium is the only facility in the world to care for endangered pillar coral and holds the largest number of reproductive size elkhorn coral, and numerous colonies of both species are being relocated.

Closure of The Florida Aquarium

Due to the potential impacts of Hurricane Milton on the Tampa Bay area:

• The Aquarium will be closed to the public on Tuesday, October 8 through Thursday, October 10. Guests who purchased tickets for those days can email MoreInfo@FLaquarium.org or call (813) 273-4000 to reschedule the visit.
• The plan at this point is to reopen on Friday, October 11 at 9:30 a.m., resuming normal business hours. Stay tuned to The Florida Aquarium’s social media channels for any additional updates: X (Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.

Public Transportation (GoPasco) will run limited fixed routes to get you to a shelter. Routes 16, 19, 21 and 30 will run FARE-FREE rides until 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8.

To view a full list of available shelters, visit http://MyPasco.net.

All other fixed route services are suspended through Wednesday, Oct. 9 for the safety of riders and employees.

Please call the GoPasco information number (727) 834-3322 for personalized assistance.

The Hillsborough Transit Authority (HART) in collaboration with the Hillsborough County Emergency Operations Center, has decided to extend Emergency Service until 8 p.m. on Tuesday to accommodate the increased number of evacuees heading to shelters.

 Effective Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, HART buses will operate on the Emergency Service Schedule. All HART bus and TECO Line Streetcar services will be suspended starting at 8 p.m. on Oct. 8.

HARTPlus paratransit service will not be available on Tuesday.

 Riders should monitor HART's website (www.goHART.org), Facebook, Instagram, and X or contact the HART Customer Service at 813-254-4278 for the latest service information and information on future service restoration.

In response to the approaching Hurricane Milton, AdventHealth North Pinellas has decided to evacuate the hospital due to their proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, the potential storm surge of eight to 12 feet and wind speeds that may reach up to 120 mph.

AdventHealth North Pinellas team members began transferring 40 patients to other AdventHealth facilities on Monday, Oct. 7 at 5 p.m.

Hospital leaders expect to complete the patient transfer process within 24 hours.

“We have been in constant communication with state and local emergency management teams throughout our preparation for the storm,” said Ryan Quattlebaum, president and chief executive officer of AdventHealth North Pinellas.

“Given Milton’s projected impact, we are evacuating out of an abundance of caution.” 

The AdventHealth Palm Harbor ER, located at 34106 US Hwy 19 N in Palm Harbor, just four miles from AdventHealth North Pinellas, will remain open throughout the storm to serve the community's emergency needs.

Follow all AdventHealth facility updates at adventhealth.com/hurricane.

Pasco County has two sandbag stations open 24/7 to help protect your property from potential flooding:

• Magnolia Valley Golf Course: 7223 Massachusetts Avenue., NPR
• Pasco Public Works C-Barn: 30908 Warder Road., San Antonio

Due to the potential for coastal and inland flooding, they're also opening additional locations.

These sandbag sites will be open from sunrise to sunset, until further notice:

• J. Ben Harrill Recreation Complex: 2830 Gulf Trace Boulevard, Land O’ Lakes
• Mitchell Park: 4825 Little Road., New Port Richey
• Veterans Memorial Park: 14333 Hicks Road, Hudson
• Land O’ Lakes Recreation Center: 3032 Collier Parkway, Land O’ Lakes
• Pasco Fire Rescue Station #29: 6907 Dairy Road.,

• Zephyrhills

  Dade City is also providing sand to city residents:

• Former Dade City Police Department building: 38042 Pasco Avenue, Dade City
  
• For more information on how to properly fill and place sandbags please click here: http://mypas.co/PascoSandbags

The last time the eye of a major storm like Hurricane Milton struck Tampa Bay, in 1921, the city was a sleepy backwater of a few hundred thousand people. A century later, it's among the fastest-growing metropolises in the United States, with more than 3 million people, and highly vulnerable to flooding due to climate change. As Milton barrels toward the Gulf Coast of Florida, strengthening Monday into a Category 5 storm, experts are worried that a century of luck could come to a sudden end.

Here's what to know.

Milton continues to strengthen. Winds are now up to 180 mph.

A Storm Surge Warning has been issued for the west coast of Florida from Flamingo northward to the Suwannee River, including Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay.

A Hurricane Warning has been issued for the west coast of Florida from Bonita Beach northward to the mouth of the Suwannee River, including Tampa Bay.

Location: 675 miles southwest of Tampa
Wind Speed: 180 mph
Direction: east at 10 mph

The St. Pete Police Department is informing restaurants, bars and stores now that they must close for business Tuesday.

Enforcement begins at 5 a.m. Tuesday.

Pasco County issued a mandatory evacuation for Zone C as Hurricane Milton approaches Florida.

Life-threatening storm surge and hurricane-force winds are expected to impact Pasco County later this week.

You must evacuate if one or more of the following applies to you:

• Evacuation Zones A, B, or C
• You live in a manufactured home, mobile home or RV anywhere in Pasco
• You live in a low-lying area or an area prone to flooding
• You live in a structure that historically has experienced flooding during heavy rainfall

• You’re in an area ordered evacuated by local authorities due to life-safety hazards

  Know your evacuation zone. Enter your street address on this interactive map: http://mypas.co/Map. Shelters are NOW open. To see a full list of available shelters, visit http://mypasco.net.

  Pasco County Customer Service can answer your questions. Call 727-847-2411 or chat online at http://MyPasco.net.

At 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 8, Sarasota County Public Utilities will begin shutting off potable water services and lift stations for wastewater services to customers on Siesta Key and Casey Key. This precautionary measure protects the community’s infrastructure.

Sarasota County Public Utilities team members are prepared to deploy when conditions are safe and restore water services to those who are impacted. As a reminder, when potable water services return, these areas will be under a boil water notice.

Please stay updated via their social media channels, local news channels, and by visiting http://scgov.net or calling 311 or 941-861-5000.

Water will be shut off to barrier islands in Manatee County on Tuesday at 10 a.m.

That includes Bradenton Beach, Anna Maria Island, Holmes Beach and the town of Longboat Key.

"There will not be a 20% flow that was as was maintained during Hurricane Helene," said Jodie Fiske, Manatee County director of public safety.

Utilities shut down water to barrier islands to protect the infrastructure for the entire area.

Residents in Zones A, B and C are being asked to evacuate, as Manatee County is expecting very high storm surge.

"We're looking at a potential storm surge of 8 to 12 feet along coastal parts of our county, Fiske said.

Hillsborough County residents living and working in evacuation zones A and B are under a mandatory evacuation starting Monday at 2:30 p.m.

Hillsborough Fire Chief Jason Dougherty says he cannot stress enough the importance of leaving these areas.

"As we saw during Hurricane Helene, the storm surge threat to our region is high," Dougherty said. "It is very real. It is very dangerous. We ordered evacuations for zones A and B for a very good reason. If you remain there, you could die. My men and women could die trying to rescue you. They are heroes, but please do not put them in that situation."

If you delay or choose to stay, he says you may be on your own for a while.. Emergency responders may not be able to reach you until the threat passes.

Hurricane Milton isn’t expected to make landfall until late Wednesday in west central Florida.

So Gov. Ron DeSantis says he will keep today’s voter registration deadline for those who want to cast ballots in the November presidential election.

“There’s nothing inhibiting you registering (Monday)" DeSantis said. "The storm has not hit yet. Now after the storm, we will see what damage is there, and if I have to do a similar executive order that I did in Ian and then I did for Helene, we’re happy to do it. But we’re not gonna change any registration deadline.”

Last week, Desantis authorized election changes in 10 counties hard hit by Hurricane Helene. Among other things, his executive order gave those local elections supervisors the ability to change early voting locations and set up consolidated voting centers for casting ballots.

National Hurricane Center

Milton has quickly intensified into a Category 5 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 175 mph.

Location: 700 miles southwest of Tampa
Wind Speed: 175 mph
Direction: east at 9 mph

Starting 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 8, the City of St. Pete Beach will deactivate all sanitary sewer lines as part of ongoing storm preparedness measures. By 12 p.m. noon, sanitary sewer lines will be completely offline until further notice.

This is necessary to protect the city's water infrastructure during the ongoing weather emergency. During this time, sanitary sewer service will not be available, and the following will be impacted:

- Plumbing will not function.
- Flushing toilets will not work.
- No water access for cooking, cleaning, or bathing.

They advise all residents to prepare now by:
- Storing enough water for drinking, cooking, and sanitation needs.
- Making alternative arrangements for toilet facilities if necessary.

To find your zone, visit CharlotteCountyFL.gov/knowyourzone.

Charlotte County will open three additional general population shelters on Tuesday. The shelter at Harold Avenue Recreation Center, 23400 Harold Ave., in Port Charlotte, remains open.

The new shelters are:

• Kingsway Elementary School, 23300 Quasar Blvd., in Port Charlotte
• Liberty Elementary School, 370 Atwater St., in Port Charlotte
• Neil Armstrong Elementary School, 22100 Breezeswept Ave., in Port Charlotte

The hurricane shelter at the Babcock Ranch School Field House at 43281 Cypress Parkway is also open.

If you choose to go the shelter you will need to bring supplies for each family member and pets (all Charlotte County shelters are pet friendly).

For more information, view the county’s disaster guide at www.CharlotteCountyFL.gov/disasterguide.

You can also call the Charlotte County Emergency Operations Center at 941-833-4000 from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily.

The Sarasota-Manatee International Airport will stay open Monday and Tuesday, closing at 4 pm on Tuesday due to Hurricane Milton.

“This will allow several flights to operate and get people out,” Airport CEO Rick Piccolo said in an email to WUSF. “It will result in a couple flights being canceled after 4:00 PM tomorrow but we need to get some final preparations done.”

As of 2 p.m., the National Hurricane Center estimates maximum sustained winds of 175 mph.

Pinellas County is opening six emergency shelters in advance of Hurricane Milton. Effective at noon today, Monday, Oct. 7, the following shelters will be open:

Largo High School (general population and pet friendly), 410 Missouri Ave. N., Largo

Gibbs High School (general population and pet friendly), 850 34th St. S. St. Petersburg

Palm Harbor University High School (general population and pet friendly),1900 Omaha St, Palm Harbor

Palm Harbor University High School Bldg. 19 (special needs), 1900 Omaha St, Palm Harbor

Dunedin Highland Middle School (special needs), 70 Patricia Ave., Dunedin

Oak Grove Middle School (special needs), 1370 S. Belcher Road, Clearwater

 
Mandatory evacuations ordered for special needs residents. The County has issued mandatory evacuation orders for special needs and electrical dependent residents in zones A, B and C, effective at noon today.

The county recommends that special needs residents in evacuation zones D and E also evacuate due to the risk of extended power and water outages.

Bus transportation will begin at noon for special needs residents who pre-registered with the county. Special needs residents who did not pre-register can call the County Information Center Call (727) 464-4333.

Residents who are deaf or hard of hearing can contact the CIC through online chat at bit.ly/PinellasChat.

 
Additional evacuation orders are anticipated. At present, the county is encouraging residents in evacuation zones A, B, C and all mobile home residents to evacuate to a strong building on high ground. Depending on where Milton makes landfall, storm surge could impact all three evacuation zones.

High winds pose a very serious threat to mobile homes, no matter where they are located.

Milton is continuing to intensify and is forecast to become a category 5 hurricane.

The greater Tampa Bay region is under a hurricane watch and storm surge watch.

Location: 720 miles southwest of Tampa

Wind Speed: 155 mph

Direction: east-southeast at 9 mph

Tampa International Airport will suspend all commercial and cargo operations beginning Tuesday at 9 a.m. The airport will remain closed to the public until it can assess any damage after the storm.

Parking garages will also be closed to the public during the suspension of operations, and people are asked not to bring vehicles to the airport for parking.

Hernando County is issuing mandatory evacuations starting Tuesday at 8 a.m. Residents should seek safe shelter by Wednesday at noon.

It includes all areas west of U.S. 19, which includes evacuation zones A, B, and C. All residents living in coastal and low-lying areas, as well as manufactured homes countywide, are included.

Shelters should be utilized as a last resort. Residents are advised to seek shelter with family or friends that reside in a safe structure. If this is not possible, a special-needs, pet-friendly public shelter will open Tuesday at 8 a.m.:

• Challenger K-8 13400 Elgin Blvd, Spring Hill
  

OneBlood

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OneBlood

A statewide blood bank is urging Floridians to donate blood and platelets ahead of Hurricane Milton.

The hurricane is expected to slow operations when it makes landfall Wednesday on Florida's west coast.

OneBlood said it is especially in need of O negative, O positive and platelet donors ahead of the storm.

Donations are used to stock hospitals for emergency patients, along with patients who are already receiving treatments for cancer and other conditions.

“The need for blood does not stop for Mother Nature, OneBlood spokesperson Susan Forbes in a statement. "The most critical time for blood donations is prior to the storm in order to ensure a ready blood supply during and immediately after the event."

She said hurricanes and tropical storms can disrupt donations for days.

If you are donating

Click here for information on donating.

Eligible donors can visit a OneBlood Big Red Bus bus to donate or make an appointment at the nearest OneBlood office.

Donors must be at least 16 years old and weight 110 points. If you are 16, you will need a signed parental consent form.

Before donating, remember to hydrate, eat a nutritious meal and bring ID for age verification.

Check here after your donation, to see if your blood was shipped, and how it was used.

Here is a helpful video for first-time blood donors:

Watch this video to see where and how your blood might be used:

Copyright 2024 Central Florida Public Media

Hillsborough County has issued a mandatory evacuation order for Evacuation Zones A and B, and for all mobile homes and manufactured housing throughout the county starting at 2:30 p.m.

The following shelters are opening:

General population, pet friendly shelters:

• Burnett Middle School (pet friendly), 1010 N. Kingsway Rd., Seffner
• Durant High School (pet friendly), 4748 Cougar Path, Plant City
• Middleton High School (pet friendly), 4801 N. 22nd St., Tampa
• Shields Middle School (pet friendly), 15732 Beth Shields Way, Ruskin
• Sickles High School (pet friendly), 7950 Gunn Hwy., Tampa

General population, no pet shelter:

Pizzo Elementary School, 11701 USF Bull Run Dr., Tampa

Special needs, pet friendly shelters:

• Erwin Technical College (special needs only, pet friendly), 2010 E. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa
• Sumner High School (special needs only, pet friendly), 10650 County Rd. 672, Riverview
• Strawberry Crest High School (special needs only, pet friendly), 4691 Gallagher Rd., Dover

The special-needs shelters are only for residents with medical issues that require electricity assistance or who have cognitive issues that would not be supported in a general population shelter.

As of 9:05 a.m., the National Hurricane Center upgraded Milton to a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph.

National Hurricane Center

Around 7:30 a.m., the National Hurricane Center said Milton strengthened into a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of xxxxx mph.

The greater Tampa Bay region is under a hurricane watch and storm surge watch.

Location: 745 miles west-southwest of Tampa
Wind Speed: 125 mph
Direction: east-southeast at 8 mph

Gov. Ron DeSantis

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Facebook

Gov. Ron DeSantis is urging Central Floridians to prepare for what is expected to become Hurricane Milton.

During a press conference on Sunday, DeSantis warned Milton could be an “I-4 storm,” meaning it could whip across Polk County and Central Florida after making landfall on Florida’s west coast.

He said storm preps should be finished by Tuesday at the latest, ahead of a Wednesday landfall.

“You're going to have the storm going right across, potentially I-4 or certainly in the center part of the state somehow, and that is going to cause damage. That's going to generate debris, it's going to cause potential damage to infrastructure. So just be prepared for that and do what you need to do to be able to execute your plan,” said DeSantis.

> Full story

Building on lessons learned during Irma and other previous storms, Florida is staging emergency fuel for gas vehicles and charging stations for electric vehicles along evacuation routes, Kevin Guthrie, executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said at a Sunday briefing.

“We are looking at every potential, possible location that can potentially house someone, as what we refer to in emergency management, as a refuge of last resort,” Guthrie said,

An hour before its scheduled 8 a.m. update, the National Hurricane Center says Milton is now a Category 3 storm with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph.

It's forecast to intensify into a Category 4 storm before losing some strength and returning to a Cat 3 prior to landfall along Florida's west coast on Wednesday.

The following public shelters will be open at noon on Tuesday across Polk County: 

• Auburndale High School, 1 Bloodhound Trail, Auburndale
• Spessard Holland Elementary School, 2432 E.F. Griffin Road, Bartow
• Citrus Ridge Academy, 1775 Sand Mine Road, Davenport
• Horizons Elementary School, 1700 Forest Lake Dr., Davenport
• George Jenkins High School, 6000 Lakeland Highlands Road, Lakeland
• Highlands Grove Elementary, 4510 Lakeland Highlands Road, Lakeland
• Kathleen High School, 1100 Red Devil Way, Lakeland
• R. Bruce Wagner Elementary School, 5500 Yates Road, Lakeland
• Sleepy Hill Elementary School, 2285 Sleepy Hill Road, Lakeland
• Mulberry Middle School, 500 S.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Mulberry
• Lake Marion Creek Middle School, 3055 Lake Marion Creek Dr., Poinciana
• Chain of Lakes Elementary School, 7001 Hwy. 653, Winter Haven
• Winter Haven High School, 600 6th St. S.E., Winter Haven

 Pet-friendly shelters:

• Haines City High School, 2800 Hornet Dr., Haines City
• Lake Region High School, 1995 Thunder Road, Eagle Lake
• Tenoroc High School, 4905 Saddle Creek Road, Lakeland

Special-needs shelters:

• FDOH Polk Specialty Care Unit, 1255 Brice Blvd., Bartow
• Ridge Community High School, 500 W. Orchid Dr., Davenport
• McKeel Academy, 1810 W. Parker St., Lakeland

National Hurricane Center

Milton is now a Category 2 storm, and is forecast to reach Category 4 strength before weakening ahead of landfall.

Location: 750 miles west-southwest of Tampa
Wind Speed: 100 mph
Direction: east-southeast at 8 mph

National Hurricane Center

The National Hurricane Center says Milton will become a major hurricane by Monday.

Location: 780 miles west-southwest of Tampa
Wind Speed: 85 mph
Direction: east at 11 mph

National Hurricane Center

As of 5 p.m., the National Hurricane Center says Milton is gaining speed, moving to the east at 7 mph.

It calls for rainfall amounts "of 5 to 10 inches, with localized totals up to 15 inches, are expected across portions of the Florida Peninsula and the Keys through Wednesday night."T

Location: 805 miles west-southwest of Tampa
Wind Speed: 85 mph
Direction: east at 7 mph

Pasco County has ordered mandatory evacuations for everyone in Zone A and B, those who live in manufactured or mobile homes or RVs and anyone who is in a low lying area prone to flooding. There are voluntary evacuations in place for Zone C.

The county is opening hurricane shelters ahead of Milton. Pets are allowed at all shelters.

The following shelters will open Monday at noon:

• Centennial Middle School, 38505 Centennial Road, Dade City
• Fivay High School, 12115 Chicago Avenue, Hudson
• Wesley Chapel High School, 30651 Wells Road, Wesley Chapel
• River Ridge Middle and High Schools, 11646 Town Center Road, New Port Richey
• Fasano Regional Hurricane Center, 11611 Denton Avenue, Hudson (special needs only)

Pinellas County has issued evacuation orders for health care facilities in zones A, B, C .

It includes long-term care facilities, assisted living facilities and hospitals in those zones. It impacts six hospitals, 25 nursing homes and 44 assisted living facilities, totaling about 6,600 patients.

The county is encouraging voluntary evacuation for residents in Zone A, B and C and mobile homes in advance of possible mandatory orders Monday.

The following local colleges have announced closures ahead of Hurricane Milton.

• The University of South Florida will hold classes remotely on Monday and close on Tuesday and Wednesday.
• Saint Leo University: Monday-Friday
• St. Petersburg College: Tuesday and Wednesday
• Pasco-Hernando State College: Monday-Friday (updated)

Tampa officials are opening the city’s parking garages to all residents in low lying areas. Beginning today through Thursday the city will offer free parking to residents in its public garages.

Officials say they hope to keep all vehicles from flooding but especially electric vehicles, which can catch fire when their batteries are exposed to salt water.

Parking will be available at the following garages:

• Fort Brooke Garage: 107 N. Franklin St.
• Twiggs Street Garage: 901 E. Twiggs St.
• Centro Ybor Garage: 1500 E. 5th Ave.
• Palm Fernando Garage: 2010 N. 13th St.
• Pam Iorio Garage: 301 Channelside Dr.
• Whiting Garage: 118 S. Florida Ave.
• Tampa Convention Center Garage: 141 E. Brorein St.
• William F Poe Garage: 802 N. Ashley Dr.

Manatee County is ordering evacuations for everyone in Level A and B and all residents or visitors in RVs or Mobile Homes beginning at 2 p.m. Monday.

The following shelters wll open Monday afternoon:

• Mills Elementary School (7200 69th St. E., Palmetto)
• Miller Elementary School (601 43rd St. W., Bradenton)
• Myakka Elementary School (37205 Manatee Ave., Myakka City)

National Hurricane Center

As of its 2 p.m. advisory, Milton has strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane.

The National Hurricane Center says maximum sustained winds are 80 mph, up from 65 mph in its 11 a.m. advisory.

Milton is projected to become a strong Category 3 hurricane with winds reaching 125 mph by Wednesday morning, and rainfall totals estimated at 5-8 inches.

Location: 815 miles west-southwest of Tampa
Wind Speed: 80 mph
Direction: east at 6 mph

School districts across the Tampa Bay area have announced they are closing schools ahead of Milton's expected landfall on Wednesday.

This includes sports, extracurricular activities, and after-school events, and in some cases the schools will be converted into shelters,

• Hillsborough: Monday through Friday
• Pinellas: Monday through Friday
• Pasco: Monday through Friday
• Sarasota: Monday through Wednesday
• Manatee: Monday through Wednesday
• Citrus: Tuesday through Friday

More closures will be announced as they become available.

National Hurricane Center

Tropical Storm Milton is gaining strength as it tracks toward Florida.

The National Hurricane Center projects 5-8 inches of rain across portions of Florida through Wednesday night, with localized flash flooding.

Location: About 835 miles west-southwest of Tampa
Wind Speed: 65 mph
Direction: east-southeast at 6 mph.

Tampa will close all of it's parks and recreational facilities starting Monday to focus on storm preparations for Milton.

Staff from the parks and rec department are assisting with storm debris removal from Hurricane Helene. They are also preparing park facilities for severe weather.

State and local leaders are prioritizing the removal of debris from Hurricane Helene as another powerful storm bears down on the region.

Helene, which grazed the area on Sept. 26, brought widespread flooding from record storm surge. Many residents whose homes were flooded have spent the past week piling mountains of waterlogged debris onto their front lawns.

If Milton brings heavy winds and a powerful storm surge to the area, the debris from Helene could become hazardous to people, homes and the environment.

Governor Ron DeSantis issued a state of emergency in 35 Florida counties, including Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Polk, Manatee and Sarasota.

The Governor's order mandates that all disaster debris management sites and landfills remain open to allow 24-hour debris drop off in an attempt to dispose of as much debris from Hurricane Helene as possible.

Others are also prioritizing removal.

As of Saturday, cities and counties began opening sandbag sites as the area prepares what could be another powerful hurricane.

Here’s a list of sandbag locations: 

Hillsborough County (Sites open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

• Larry Sanders Progress Village Sports Complex, 5855 S. 78th Street Tampa, FL 33619. This is in addition to the two sites announced earlier today as residents prepare for potential heavy rain in the coming days.
• E.G. Simmons Conservation Park, 2401 19th Ave. NW, Ruskin (Park will be closed to the public on Saturday)
• Ed Radice Sports Complex, 14720 Ed Radice Drive, Tampa (Park will remain open to the public on Saturday)

Tampa

• Larry Sanders Progress Village Sports Complex, 5855 S. 78th Street Tampa
• Al Barnes Park, 2902 N 32nd Street

Pinellas County (Available 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday)

• John Chesnut Park, 2200 East Lake Road S., Palm Harbor
• Walsingham Park, 12615 102nd Ave, Seminole

St. Petersburg

• Dell Homes Park, 2741 22nd St. S
• Fossil Park Northern Most Parking Lot - 6875 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. St.
• North Walter Fuller Soccer Field Parking Lot - 2800 75th St. N
• Lake Maggiore Park Shelter Area, 3601 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. St.
• S Northeast Park East Baseball Field Parking Lot, 955 62nd Ave. Ne
• Northwest Swimming Pool Parking Lot Park, 2331 60th St. N

Sarasota County

• Ed Smith Stadium, 2700 12th St., Sarasota
• Twin Lakes Park, 6700 Clark Road, Sarasota
• South County Fleet Services, 4571 State Road 776/Englewood Road, Venice

Polk County

• Mulberry/South Lakeland – Loyce E. Harpe Park, 500 W. Carter Road, Mulberry
• Lakeland – 8970 N. Campbell Road, Lakeland
• Fort Meade – 1061 NE 9^th St., Fort Meade
• Frostproof – 350 County Road 630A, Frostproof
• Auburndale – 1701 Holt Road, Auburndale
• Dundee – 805 Dr. Martin Luther King St. SW, Dundee
• Poinciana Park – 5109 Allegheny Road, Kissimmee 34759
  

Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa have closed its comfort stations until further notice ahead of the expected arrival of Hurricane Milton.

The stations offered essential services, including mobile laundry, showers, electronic charging stations, food, water, and permitting assistance for home and business repairs have been open at three locations across the city.

“We know that many residents are still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Helene, and unfortunately forecasts for the system in the Gulf have become more serious," Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said in a news release. "We will continue to monitor the track of this storm so we can re-open these service stations to provide relief to those in need as they focus on recovery."

Gov. Ron DeSantis has issued a state of emergency for 35 Florida counties ahead of Milton, which is forecast to make landfall as a Category 3 hurricane along Florida's west coast.

It includes, Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sarasota counties.

Local and state leaders are urging people to start preparing of what could be a major hurricane along Florida's Gulf Coast.

Governor Ron DeSantis issued a state of emergency in 35 Florida counties, including Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Polk, Manatee and Sarasota.

The National Weather Service forecasts between 4 to 8 inches of rain from Hernando County to Sarasota County along Florida's Gulf Coast.

Sandbags are now available across the Tampa Bay area.

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Florida Public Radio Emergency Network

Tropical depression 14 was named by the National Hurricane Center on Saturday morning. About 2 hours later the NHC upgraded it to Tropical Storm Milton. And as of the 5 p.m. update, the NHC believes Milton could be as powerful as a Category 3 hurricane before it impacts Florida next week.

Milton is expected to linger over the western Gulf of Mexico through the weekend, before it begins to accelerate eastward by the early workweek. By the early to middle part of the upcoming week, forecasters at the NHC anticipate that Milton will strengthen into potentially a category three hurricane.

> Full story