As residents evacuate on congested highways ahead of Hurricane Milton, Florida officials said the state does not have a fuel shortage amid efforts to ensure that supplies continue to reach gas stations.
With the powerful Milton expected to make landfall on the state’s Gulf Coast late Wednesday or early Thursday, officials Tuesday morning did not estimate the number of people who had already taken to the road. But Gov. Ron 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 during a news conference at the state Emergency Operations Center. “You probably could have done that in the wee hours of this morning … It is going to be a little slower. That's just the reality.”
As of 8 a.m. Tuesday, Milton was about 545 miles southwest of Tampa, with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph, a Category 4 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Milton was moving east-northeast at 12 mph.
Storm surge warnings were in place on the West Coast from Flamingo in Monroe County to the Suwannee River in the Dixie County area and on the East Coast from the border of Brevard and Volusia counties to the mouth of the St. Mary's River at the Georgia border, according to the National Hurricane Center.
A hurricane warning was in effect from Bonita Beach in Southwest Florida to the mouth of the Suwannee River and on the East Coast from the border of Indian River and St. Lucie counties to Ponte Vedra Beach in St. Johns County, the hurricane center said.
“There is no fuel shortage. Fuel continues to arrive in the state of Florida by port and what we're doing to bring it in on the ground.”Gov. Ron DeSantis
The U.S. Coast Guard on Tuesday morning issued a designation at Port Tampa Bay, SeaPort Manatee, Port St. Pete, Port Key West, Port Everglades, PortMiami and Port Canaveral that allows fuel operations to continue on the land sides of the ports. But vessel movement was halted because gale force winds were expected within 24 hours.
Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue said fuel continues to flow.
“Since Saturday, Port Tampa Bay has received six shipments of fuel,” Perdue said. “So, the terminals are fully operating on the land side and fuel is continuing to be distributed.”
But the demand for fuel has resulted in gas stations running out quicker than normal.
DeSantis said additional fuel is en route to Florida.
“There is no fuel shortage. Fuel continues to arrive in the state of Florida by port and what we're doing to bring it in on the ground,” DeSantis said.
To speed delivery, DeSantis said 27 fuel trucks were escorted Monday night by the Florida Highway Patrol to deliver fuel to stations.
“We're also working with fuel companies such as RaceTrac, Wawa, Shell and Walmart to ensure fuel trucks are working 24/7 to keep fuel delivered as it comes into our ports,” 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.
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.
DeSantis didn’t have an estimate Tuesday of people who had already evacuated ahead of Milton but said “it’s a lot.”
DeSantis said Gulf Coast residents could have fresh memories of other recent damaging storms, including Hurricane Helene last month and Hurricane Ian in 2022. While Milton could make landfall in Manatee County, its track remains uncertain.
“I also think you have places like Southwest Florida, they have muscle memory,” DeSantis said. “Remember, (Hurricane) Charley (in 2004) was supposed to hit Tampa Bay. Ian was supposed to hit Tampa Bay. And those curved. … I think they're looking at this and say, ‘OK, we've seen this before. Even though they say it's going to Manatee right now. It’s very possible a little wobble, it ends up in Charlotte Harbor. And certainly, even if it hits north, I mean, the (storm) surge is going to be significant.’”
