Hurricane Milton is a historically ferocious storm that could land a once-in-a-century direct hit on Tampa and St. Petersburg, engulfing the populous region with towering storm surges and turning debris from Helene’s devastation 12 days ago into projectiles.
Latest update: Milton strengthened this afternoon, packing 165 mph maximum sustained winds, located about 480 miles SW of Tampa, moving ENE at 9 mph.
Landfall: Milton is expected to make landfall on the west coast of Florida late Wednesday as a Category 3 storm, which have winds of 111-129 mph.
Path: Milton could retain hurricane strength as it churns across central Florida toward the Atlantic Ocean. That track would largely spare other states ravaged by Helene, which killed at least 230 people on its path from Florida to the Carolinas.
Evacuations: Officials are warning residents not to bank on the storm weakening. Florida’s Division of Emergency Management offers this list of which counties under evacuation orders.
The hunt for gasoline is adding to Floridians’ anxiety as Milton nears
Long lines and empty pumps at some Florida gas stations Tuesday compounded the stress for residents planning to either hunker down or flee as Hurricane Milton approached the state’s western coast.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said during a morning news conference that state officials were working with fuel companies to continue bringing in gasoline ahead of Milton’s expected landfall on Wednesday.
“We have been dispatching fuel over the past 24 hours as gas stations have run out,” DeSantis said. “So 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.”
DeSantis said there wasn’t a fuel shortage. But the hunt for gasoline was another nerve-fraying task for people preparing for a major hurricane.
National Hurricane Center gives another update on Milton
The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Tuesday afternoon that Hurricane Milton’s intensity had “rebounded,” though it was still a Category 4 storm.
The storm was about 520 miles (840 kilometers) southwest of Tampa with maximum sustained winds of 155 mph (250 kph), the center said. It was traveling east by northeast at 8 mph (13 kph), it said.
Air Force Reserve hurricane hunters were the ones to find the storm had intensified, the center said.
“Today is the last full day for Florida residents to get their families and homes ready and evacuate if told to do so,” the center said.
Florida Highway Patrol says ‘the time is now’ to evacuate
The Florida Highway Patrol says “heavy traffic patterns are flowing northbound and eastbound on all roadways” Tuesday afternoon as people continue to evacuate in advance of Hurricane Milton.
“For those wishing to evacuate, the time is now,” the agency said in a statement. “Otherwise, finalize your storm preparations now.”
Troopers were continuing to escort fuel tankers to assist with delivery of gasoline Tuesday. And the agency noted that all bridges in the Tampa Bay area will close when wind speeds are consistently at 45 mph or higher, or when troopers deem road conditions a danger to public safety.
How to prepare for a power outage
Milton will likely cause mass power outages that could affect communication and transportation and cause wider disruptions as well.
Here’s how ready.gov suggests you should prepare for an extended power outage:
· Keep freezers and refrigerators closed
· Use a generator, but only outdoors and away from windows
· Do not use a gas stove or oven to heat your home
· Disconnect appliances and electronics to avoid damage from electrical surges
· Have alternate plans for refrigerating medicines or using power-dependent medical devices
· Charge your devices and back up batteries and power banks ahead of time
· Install carbon monoxide detectors with battery backup in central locations on every level of your home
· Keep enough nonperishable good and water
· Talk to your doctor about a plan for medical devices that are powered by electricity or refrigerated medications
Biden says Milton ‘could be one of the worst storms in 100 years to hit Florida’
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 also spoke about misinformation and disinformation surrounding the federal response to Helene, which Vice President Kamala Harris has blamed on her Election Day opponent, former President Donald Trump. Biden said of such misinformation, “Those who do it do it to try to damage the administration.”
Asked about Republican 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.”
