Photo by Budimir Jevtic from Shutterstock
This powerful Category 5 storm raced across the Gulf of Mexico, heading towards Florida’s central west coast. The storm approaching came with highways packed with people evacuating and bracing for what could be a historic hit.
In some areas, including Tampa Bay, people are still recovering after the damage done by Hurricane Helene two weeks ago. The National Hurricane Center explains that the storm’s strength might fluctuate, but it will be a major and dangerous hurricane once it hits Florida’s west-central coast.
Ron DeSantis, Florida’s governor, emphasized that the storm’s effects will reach far beyond where the eye makes landfall, and he explained that it could hit everywhere from Citrus County down to Southwest Florida. He warned that the storm surge will impact a much larger area than the forecast path suggests.
The National Weather Service in Tampa Bay believes Milton is a historic storm for Florida’s west coast, and it could be the worst to hit the area in over 200 years.
Residents have been busy preparing, boarding up their homes, filling sandbags, and securing their boats. DeSantis came with emergency orders for 52 counties urging everyone to prepare, stock up on food and water for a week, and be ready to evacuate if needed.
According to GasBuddy, around 17% of the gas stations in Florida were out of fuel by Tuesday evening. The number was even higher in Tampa Bay, with over 46% of stations running dry.
Since it left Mexico, the storm has weakened a bit, and it passed the period of explosive intensification. Overnight, on Monday it dropped back to a Category 4 storm, but it strengthened moving over the Yucatan Peninsula, reaching around 160 mph, just above the threshold for Category 5. Given this pattern, forecasters predict Milton will remain major as it approaches Florida’s western coast.
Milton’s intensity ranks it among the most catastrophic hurricanes in Atlantic history, as it intensifies at an alarming rate in 24 hours. It started as a tropical storm, growing rapidly into a Category 5 hurricane, turning into the highest level of the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale (they measure the storms based on sustained wind speeds).
The National Hurricane Center wanred that this is a very serious situation and that Milton could be one of the most destructive hurricanes ever for west-central.
There are also rumors that there are not enough resources, but Tampa Major Jane Castor said: “The federal, state, and local governments, along with private organizations, are all working together. Our top priority is clearing household debris and ensuring everyone’s safety as we face whatever Hurricane Milton brings our way.”
Shelters have opened across Southwest Florida to provide a safe space for those in the storm’s path. If you’re planning to evacuate, it’s important to be prepared and bring essential supplies for yourself and your family, as well as for your pets. Officials are urging the importance of remaining calm and taking the necessary precautions for safety.
To make sure you’re as comfortable as possible during your stay at a shelter, bring these items for each family member:
Several shelters are now open and available to the public, and more will be open if the situation develops.
As Hurricane Milton approaches, evacuation orders have been extended, and they include residents in all areas living in mobile and manufactured homes. There are pet-friendly shelters across Charlone and Lee Counties to assure both residents and their pets have a safe space to stay during the storm. It’s important to stay updated during a storm’s progress and review emergency plans, as well as being ready with your hurricane kits.
They are particularly for those in Red Zone-A, Orange Zone-B, and for those in manufactured or mobile homes.
Additional centers may be open depending on the storm’s path.
The following centers have been open since Tuesday.
Additional Evacuations and Shelters Open in Lee and Collier Counties
Gulf Coast High School: 7878 Shark Way
Immokalee High School: 701 Immokalee Drive
Golden Gate High School: 2925 Titan Way
Pet-friendly shelters in Collier County:
Corkscrew Middle School: 1165 Oil Well Road
Cypress Palm Middle School: 4255 18th Ave N.E.
Golden Gate Middle School: 2701 48th Terrace S.W.
Immokalee Middle School: 401 9th Street
Oakridge Middle School: 14975 Collier Blvd.
East Ridge High, 13322 Excalibur Road, Clermont
East Ridge Middle, 13201 Excalibur Road, Clermont
Eustis High, 1300 E. Washington Ave., Eustis
Leesburg High, 1401 Yellow Jacket Way, Leesburg
Mount Dora High, 700 N. Highland St., Mt. Dora
Tavares High, 603 N. New Hampshire Ave., Tavares
Mascotte Elementary, 460 Midway Ave., Mascotte
Round Lake Elementary, 31333 Round Lake Road, Mt. Dora
Spring Creek Elementary, 44440 Spring Creek Road, Paisley
Treadway Elementary, 10619 Treadway School Road, Leesburg
Creekside Middle School, 6801 Airport Road, Port Orange
Deland High School, 800 N. Hill Ave., Deland
University High School, 1000 W. Rhode Island Ave., Orange City
Mainland High School, 1255 W. International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach
Volusia County Fairgrounds, 3150 E. New York Ave., Deland
Evacuations and shelters keep being open, and residents are reminded to take all the precautions and follow the guidance from local officials.
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