Hurricane Milton: Key Shelter and Official Information Resources

Hurricane Milton heads toward Florida, poised to make a potentially historic landfall.

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.

Milton is expected late Wednesday or early Thursday.

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.

Hurricane Milton is expected to stay strong while moving across Florida, and it’s predicted to reach the Atlantic Ocean after it crosses the state.

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 open across Southwest Florida as Hurricane Milton approaches: What You Need to Know

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.

What to bring to the shelter

To make sure you’re as comfortable as possible during your stay at a shelter, bring these items for each family member:

• Sleeping bags, blankets, pillows, or sleeping pads
• Light resources
• Hygiene supplies such as hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, soap, cloth face masks
• Toothbrush, toothpaste, body wipes
• Feminine hygiene products
• Cellphones and chargers, backup batteries
• Extra sets of clothes appropriate for the season, extra socks, and sturdy shoes
• Enough food and snacks for at least 72 hours
• Personal entertainment items
• Medication, especially prescription medication, eyeglasses, and any essential medical items
• Important document

For your pets

• Food and water
• Identification documents, such as medical records, vaccination papers, and microchip information
• Equipment such as a carrier or a cage, muzzle, food and water bowls, leash, and any necessary medications

Shelter locations

Several shelters are now open and available to the public, and more will be open if the situation develops.

Charlotte County—for residents in Red Zone-A and Orange Zone-B

• Kingsway Elementary School: 23300 Quasar Blvd., Port Charlotte
• Harold Avenue Recreation Center: 23400 Harold Ave., Port Charlotte

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.

Additional Charlotte County Shelters (All Pet-Friendly)

They are particularly for those in Red Zone-A, Orange Zone-B, and for those in manufactured or mobile homes.

• Babcock Ranch School Field House: 43281 Cypress Parkway
• Harold Avenue Recreation Center: 23400 Harold Ave., Port Charlotte
• Kingsway Elementary School: 23300 Quasar Blvd., Port Charlotte

Additional centers may be open depending on the storm’s path.

Lee County Shelters

The following centers have been open since Tuesday.

• Island Coast High School: 2125 DeNavarra Pkwy, Cape Coral
• Estero Recreation Center: 9200 Corkscrew Palms Blvd, Estero
• Dunbar High School: 30 Edison Ave., Fort Myers
• Hertz Arena: 11000 Everblades Parkway, Estero
• Gateway High School: 13820 Griffin Dr., Fort Myers
• Oak Hammock Middle School: 5321 Tice St., Fort Myers
• Tortuga Elementary: 1711 Gunnery Rd. N
• Treeline Elementary: 10900 Treeline Ave.
• Varsity Lakes Middle School: 801 Gunnery Rd.
• Tortuga Preserve Elementary School: 1711 Gunnery Road N., Lehigh Acres

Additional Evacuations and Shelters Open in Lee and Collier Counties

• Harns Marsh Elementary: 1800 Unice Ave.
• Harns Marsh Middle: 1820 Unice Ave.
• East Lee County High School: 715 Thomas Sherwin Ave.
• Alico Arena: 12181 FGCU Lake Parkway East, Fort Myers

Collier County Shelters (Including Pet-Friendly Locations)

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.

Lake County (Pet-friendly)

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

Volusia County (general population shelters)

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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