Hurricane Milton: ‘Not the worse-case scenario’ DeSantis, FEMA director say

Hurricane Milton made landfall Wednesday night, drenching most of Florida and leaving a path of destruction.

Milton is not expected to impact the Channel 9 area, according to Severe Weather Center 9.

Taylor Swift donates $5M to hurricane relief

Update 2:44 p.m. ET, Oct. 10: Singer/songwriter Taylor Swift has donated $5 million to Feeding America to help with the recovery of both Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton.

The group thanked the entertainer on social media saying, “This contribution will help communities rebuild and recover, providing essential food, clean water, and supplies to people affected by these devastating storms.”

Swift isn’t the only star spotlighted by Feeding America. The organization also thanked Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds for donating $1 million for hurricane relief.

Biden: ‘Lifesaving measures did make a difference”

Update 2:24 p.m. ET, Oct. 10: President Joe Biden said it’s early to know the full extent of the damage and deaths left behind from Hurricane Milton, but that “lifesaving measures did make a difference” in the number of lives lost, CNN reported.

“There’s still very dangerous conditions in the state,” Biden said. “People should wait to be given all clear by their leaders before they go out.”

He added, “This is going to be a long haul for total rebuilding. It’s going to take several billion dollars. It’s not just going to be a little bit,” The New York Times reported.

Death toll

Update 2:17 p.m. ET, Oct. 10: The number of deaths vary depending on sources.

At least 10 people were killed according to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, but Florida officials have confirmed only five. The secretary said the numbers were tentative, The New York Times reported.

NBC News by its count said there have been 11 deaths because of the storm. One in Citrus County where a tree fell on a car, killing the driver. Two deaths happened in Pinellas County. Three deaths happened in Volusia County while five happened in St. Lucie County, at least four of them were tornado-related.

However, CNN reported that there were at least eight killed in the storm. One person died from a falling tree in Volusia County, two were killed in St. Petersburg and five were killed in St. Lucie county.

Milton downgraded to post-tropical cyclone

Update 1:57 pm. ET, Oct. 10: Milton is no longer a hurricane. The National Hurricane Center said the storm is now a post-tropical cyclone.

The agency said there would continue to be tropical storm conditions and storm surge, but Milton was already 200 miles east northeast of Cape Canaveral with maximum sustained winds of 75MPH.

14-year-old boy rescued floating on debris

Update 1:15 p.m. ET, Oct. 10: A 14-year-old boy was rescued by Hillsborough County sheriff’s office as he floated on partially submerged debris, NBC News reported.

Walt Disney, Universal theme parks to open Friday

Update 12:49 p.m. ET, Oct. 10: Walt Disney World will reopen its theme parks on Friday.

The company wrote on its website, “We’re grateful Walt Disney World Resort weathered the storm, and we are currently assessing the impacts to our property to prepare for reopening the theme parks, Disney Springs and possibly other areas on Friday, October 11.”

The parks closed on Wednesday afternoon before Milton made landfall.

Universal Orlando will also open on Friday. The company wrote on its website, “Our hearts are with all those impacted by Hurricane Milton, and we are dedicated to helping our community recovery. Thanks to the tireless efforts of our Team Members, we will resume normal operations beginning on Friday, Oct. 11.”

Tom Brady donates $100K to Florida

Update 10:53 a.m. ET, Oct. 10: Former NFL quarterback Tom Brady announced he is donating $100,000 to help get food, water and first aid to the victims of Hurricane Milton, WFXT reported.

Brady once played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before he retired.

“Keep those impacted by these storms in your prayers, look out for your neighbors, and continue to help out anyway you’re able. Stay safe, and stay strong Florida,” he wrote on X.

He said his donation is being matched by Gopuff, a digital delivery service.

Fla emergency officials to ‘Florida man’: ‘We don’t want anybody cutting lines.”

Update 10:47 a.m. ET, Oct. 10: State emergency officials have a directive to anyone who may think they’re helping storm cleanup by cutting fallen lines.

“Do not cut any lines again. Again, we do not need Florida man and Florida woman out there cutting random lines as they go,” the Florida Division of Emergency Management director Kevin Guthrie said, according to NBC News.

“You don’t know what is a cable line. You don’t know what is an electrical line and, probably more importantly these days, you don’t know what is a fiber optic line. Most of our 911 lines run across fiber optic. We do not want anybody cutting lines. Let the professionals come in here and identify what it is before it’s cut.”

Bridges reopened; Military bases impacted by hurricane

Update 10:22 a.m. ET, Oct. 10: The Florida Highway Patrol reopened several bridges after inspections and cleanup were completed, CNN reported.

Traffic can now flow across The Skyway Bridge, The Howard Frankland Bridge and The Gandy Bridge. The Courtney Campbell Causeway remained closed.

Tampa’s MacDill Air Force Base also remained closed Thursday morning, The Associated Press reported. A Hurricane Recovery Team was deployed to the base to see if there was any damage. The Civil Air Patrol will do flyovers to get an aerial view.

Patrick Space Force Base had aircraft moved from the installation but no people were evacuated. Space Launch Delta 45 was tasked to see what damage occurred.

Mayport, Jacksonville and Kings Bay naval bases saw “negligible damage” and were expected to resume normal operations on Thursday, the AP reported.

Biden: ‘Help is on the way’

Update 10:19 a.m. ET, Oct. 10: President Joe Biden posted to X Thursday morning instructing those impacted by Hurricane Milton, “I urge you to stay inside and off the roads.” He went on to say “Help is on the way, but until it arrives, shelter in place until your local officials say it’s safe to go out.”

Biden and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke Thursday morning, the White House said, according to NBC News.

Pinellas County access, airports remain closed

Update 9:55 a.m. ET, Oct. 10: The Pinellas County Sheriff said that access to the county, including the barrier islands, is open, NBC News reported.

Meanwhile, several airports in Florida remained closed on Thursday morning, CNN reported.

At Tampa International Airport, staff are looking a the condition of the airfield and facilities. A reopening plan will be announced later Thursday, once the inspections are done, airport officials said.

St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport will have no flights today and there is no indication when the airport will reopen.

Orlando International Airport has crews assessing the damage and are determining when they can allow flights to resume.

‘Not the worse-case scenario’

Update 9:15 a.m. ET, Oct. 10: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tampa Bay avoided the devastating storm surge that had been predicted before Hurricane Milton made landfall, CNN reported.

“What we can say is the storm was significant, but thankfully, this was not the worst-case scenario,” he said Thursday morning.

He added that there were “isolated pockets up to 18 inches of rainfall” in some areas. For St. Petersburg it was a 1-in-1,000-year rainfall, CNN reported.

Florida Division of Emergency Management director Kevin Guthrie countered the Governor’s statement, saying, “Even though you heard the governor say this was not the worst-case scenario, we still have damage.”

The Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Deanne Criswell echoed the statement made by DeSantis.

“What we know for sure is we avoided that worst-case scenario that we were planning for,” Criswell said on CNN Thursday morning. “But the fact that they prepared for the worst really made sure that they were able to respond to the impacts that they have experienced, and the biggest ones right now are the tornadoes that have been reported across the state.”

Tampa Bay Times building damaged

Update 9:09 a.m. ET, Oct. 10: A crane collapsed in Tampa, hitting the Tampa Bay Times building, damaging it. The building was closed before the storm and no one was hurt.

News crews were not in the newsroom working, the newspaper reported.

Deaths expected from tornados spawned by Milton

Update 8:40 a.m. ET, Oct. 10: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he expects a number of casualties from the tornados that were spawned by Hurricane Milton. There have been at least four deaths in St. Lucie County from tornados, CNN reported.

First responders and public works/utility crews are conducting response and recovery efforts caused by two confirmed tornados that touched down prior to the arrival of Hurricane Milton Wednesday, Oct. 9 starting around 4:30 p.m.,” a news release from St. Lucie County officials said. “The St. Lucie Medical Examiner has confirmed four fatalities as a result of these tornadoes.”

Post-storm rescue operations

Update 8:15 a.m. ET, Oct. 10: As many as 18 people are trapped in a Clearwater, Florida, apartment complex, CNN reported. Water rescues were being conducted Thursday morning as first responders worked in waist-deep and chest-deep water trying to get people out.

“Our crews are using inflatable boats and highwater vehicles to try to go door to door to check on people,” Clearwater Police Department Public Information Officer Robert Shaw said. “This is probably the just tip of the iceberg and one of the reasons why we’re encouraging people to stay home and stay safe.”

In Hillsborough County, three amphibious vehicles are being used to evacuate an assisted living facility and hotel.

“We have almost a hundred residents up there,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said about the nursing home rescues.. “And that’s certainly going to be a more prolonged rescue operation.”

These aren’t people who didn’t heed the warning. These are individuals in areas where we’ve never seen flooding, never seen flooding.

“And to go from no flooding to 3 feet of water up over your knees, I could imagine how frightening that was for everybody here,” Chronister told CNN.

In Plant City, 35 people were rescued overnight, The Associated Press reported.

Rescue operations are underway in Edgewater and Winter Park in Orange County, WFTV reported.

WJAX reported that streets are flooded in St. Augustine on the state’s east coast.

Milton ‘pulling away’

Update 8:09 a.m. ET, Oct. 10: Hurricane Milton is still a Category 1 storm as it moves away from Florida, the National Hurricane Center said in its latest update.

The NHC said the storm was 75 miles east northeast of Cape Canaveral, Florida with maximum sustained winds of 85MPH.

Airport damaged

Update 8 a.m. ET, Oct. 10: The storm ripped a 30-by-40 hole into Melbourne Orlando International Airport, USA Today reported.

“We had a large section of our skylight, technically called a caul wall, come down in the center of the terminal, airport executive director Greg Donavan said. He said since the skylight came down it has “been really dry since that initial wave so we haven’t had a lot of water intrusion.”

The airport was closed when the skylight came down and no one was hurt.

Tropicana Field roof ripped off

Update 7:36 a.m. ET, Oct. 10: Tropicana Field was supposed to be used as a shelter for 10,000 first responders and recovery crews during and after Hurricane Milton but it was damaged when the storm hit. The roof of the stadium was ripped off the home of the Tampa Bay Rays.

No one was hurt, CNN reported. The Tampa Bay Times reported that once the roof was gone, the hurricane drenched the field below, which had no drainage system and the water could have run into the dugouts, team equipment and other facilities under the stadium. The team was not playing in the postseason.

The roof, according to the team’s media guide was made of “six acres of translucent, Teflon-coated fiberglass and supports itself with 180 miles of cables connected by struts.” It had been designed to “withstand winds of up to 115 mph.”

The Rays are in the process of getting a new home in St. Petersburg but it isn’t slated to open until 2028 at the earliest, the newspaper reported.

Shelter in place remains

Update 7:31 a.m. ET, Oct. 10: Pinellas County issued an emergency alert that read, “ALL RESIDENTS REMAIN SHELTERED. SEVERE DAMAGES COUNTYWIDE,” CNN reported. People in neighboring Tampa are being told not to travel until it is safe to do so as determined by public safety officials.

Multiple fatalities

Update 7:28 a.m. ET, Oct. 10: The sheriff of ST. Luice County told CNN Thursday morning that his area had “multiple fatalities” but didn’t have exact numbers after several tornados touched down.

“Unfortunately it struck a modular home community” for residents 55 and older, Sheriff Keith Pearson said.

“Their whole homes with them inside were lifted up, moved, destroyed. I mean everything in the hurricane or this tornado’s path is gone.”

Scenes from the aftermath

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What you may have missed

Update 7 a.m. ET, Oct. 10: Hurricane Milton hit Florida as a Category 3 storm battering the state with rain, wind and tornados. It was downgraded to a Category 2 about an hour and a half after making landfall. Thursday morning it was down to a Category 1 as it left the state near Cape Canaveral.

The storm made landfall in Siesta Key, about 70 miles south of Tampa, The Associated Press reported.

Several counties are seeing downed power lines, fallen trees, blocked bridges and flooding.

“We have flooding in places and to levels that I’ve never seen, and I’ve lived in this community for my entire life,” Plant City City Manager Bill McDaniel said in a video, the AP reported. His city had 13.5 inches of rain from the storm.

More than 3.2 million people were left without power because of Hurricane Milton.

Hurricane hunters fly through Milton’s eye

Update 3 p.m. ET, Oct. 9: Hurricane hunters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration flew into the eye of Hurricane Milton on Wednesday, CNN reported. Their mission is to collect data to help make forecasts more precise.

Meanwhile, several areas of Florida were already feeling the effects of the hurricane hours before it was expected to make landfall.

Key West and St. Petersburg saw 59MPH winds and since midnight, Sarasota had seen more than 4 inches of rain.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said more than 30,000 people are in Florida shelters ahead of the storm. The shelters have room for more than 200,000 the governor said, according to CNN.

Where is Milton now?

Update 2 p.m. ET, Oct. 9: The National Hurricane Center said that tropical-storm-force winds were just off the west coast of Florida adding that the storm is growing in size.

Milton is about 150 miles southwest of Tampa with maximum sustained winds of 130MPH

Earlier, the NHC told residents to remain inside and away from windows.

Some iPhones can connect to satellites

Update 1:56 p.m. ET, Oct. 9: If you have a newer iPhone, you will want to make sure its iOS is updated to 18 before you lose cell service. That’s because the devices can connect to emergency services and with iOS18, via text message to friends and family even when cell service is not available.

If you have iOS18, when you are not in cell range, you’ll get a popup if you want to use the Messages app via satellite. Once you say yes, you will have to be in an area with a clear view of the sky and horizon — no trees to block the signal. The phone will tell you which way to stand and to get a better signal to keep the connection.

Earlier landfall

Update 12:39 p.m. ET, Oct. 9: The National Hurricane Center adjusted its prediction for when and where Hurricane Milton will make landfall.

Now the NHC said the storm will come on shore as early as 11 p.m. and somewhere near Sarasota, CNN reported.

Because of the now compressed time, the storm may not weaken as much as previously thought. It could be either a Category 3 or Category 4 when it hits Florida.

Cape Coral was already seeing storm surge just after noon, The Associated Press reported. At the same time, Lee County Public Safety Director Ben Abes said the time to evacuate the area has come and gone.

“It is not safe to be out and it is not safe to return to your home if you have evacuated. The time to shelter in place is now,” Abes said.

He said that more than 6,700 are in the county’s 13 shelters, the AP reported.

What areas will see worst storm surge?

Update 12:05 p.m. ET, Oct. 9: The National Hurricane Center released maps showing the areas where the agency expects to see the worst storm surge.

The Tampa Bay area may see between 8 and 12 feet but just south of Tampa, however, could see 10 to 15 feet. The east coast of Florida, Georgia and even South Carolina will also experience some surge with most expected to see 3 to 5 feet of water with some seeing 1 to 3 feet.

The bridge between St. Petersburg and Bradenton was closed at 11:30 a.m. ET because of the winds Hurricane Milton produced, CNN reported.

The closure of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, along with three others, was expected to happen by this afternoon.

Waffle Houses closed

Update 12:00 p.m. ET, Oct. 9: Waffle House closed several diners in Florida even before Hurricane Milton’s expected landfall.

The company announced on Tuesday afternoon that it closed restaurants in the Tampa area, CBS News reported. The company expanded the list of restaurants temporarily closed on Wednesday morning.

Tuesday afternoon - Tampa and Fort Meyers areas:

Wednesday morning - Tampa, Fort Meyers, Orlando, Ocala and Daytona:

Still Category 4, outer bands produce tornadoes

Update 11:00 a.m. ET, Oct. 9: The National Hurricane Center in its 11 a.m. update said Hurricane Milton is still a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 145MPH. It is currently 190 miles southwest of Tampa and is moving northeast at 17MPH.

Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall late Wednesday or early Thursday, The Associated Press reported.

As the storm gets closer to the Florida peninsula several tornados have been spotted in the southern part of the state. The NHC called them “tornadic supercells.” One was seen near Big Cypress Seminole Reservation, moving north at 25MPH, the National Weather Service said, according to CNN.

Tropical storm-force wind gusts started to bash the Florida Keys. The winds were 40 to 55 MPH, CNN reported.

Astronaut shares more video of Milton from space

Update: 10:57 a.m. ET, Oct. 9: Astronaut Matthew Dominick shared a new time-lapse video of the storm he took while onboard the International Space Staton.

He said “It was not as symmetric as yesterday but it appeared larger today,” in a post to X.com.

‘Now is the time to rush’

Update 10:15 a.m. ET, Oct 9: The National Hurricane Center issued a strong message to those in the path of Hurricane Milton.

“Now is the time to rush to complete all preparations to protect life and property in accordance with your emergency plan. Ensure you are in a safe location before the onset of strong winds or possible flooding. Ensure you have multiple ways to receive weather warnings,” the agency said.

The storm continued to have maximum sustained winds of 155 MPH and was about 210 miles southwest of Tampa.

Gas running low

Update 9:50 a.m. ET, Oct. 9: CNN reported that gas is running low in Florida. One in four stations already ran out of fuel according to Gas Buddy. That’s about 1,700 of the state’s approximately 7,500 gas stations.

Airports close

Update 8:35 a.m. ET, Oct. 9: Several airports have closed in advance of Hurricane Milton.

Orlando International Airport suspended commercial flights Wednesday morning.

Sarasota Bradenton Airport was also closed as of Wednesday morning according to Flightview.

The website said Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Meyers was closed.

Tampa International Airport and the parking garages were closed because of the hurricane, according to the airport’s website.

If you had plans to fly in or out of Florida, many airlines have issued waivers for people impacted by the storm. The waivers will allow them to change their flights without having to pay an extra fee, USA Today reported. You should check your airline’s website for specifics on what is available to you.

If a flight is canceled, you can get a refund, according to the Department of Transportation.

Category 4

Update 7:56 a.m. ET, Oct. 9: Hurricane Milton has been downgraded to a Category 4 storm again with maximum sustained winds of 155 MPH, the National Hurricane Center said.

The storm was located about 250 miles southwest of Tampa in the latest NHC update. It was moving northeast at about 16 MPH.

Preparations continue before storm

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Heavy rain already seen in Florida

Update 7:36 a.m. ET, Oct. 9: The Associated Press reported that while Hurricane Milton did not make landfall yet, and was still hundreds of miles away, heavy rain already moved into southwest and west-central Florida. Six to 12 inches of rain with up to 18 inches possible were expected to come own central and northern parts of the state through Thursday. Tornados were also possible on Wednesday.

Tampa General Hospital installs flood fence

Update 7:28 a.m. ET, Oct. 9: Tampa General Hospital once again erected a flood fence to ensure it could remain open during Hurricane Milton. The device is called an AquaFence.

“We have a proactive and comprehensive plan in place to protect our locations against severe weather so we can continue to provide the exceptional care for which our patients turn to Tampa General,” Assistant Director of Public Safety, Tampa General Hospital Erinn Skiba said in a news release. “Our fence around the Davis Islands campus is up, supplies are stocked at all hospital locations, and the teams stand ready to provide care through Hurricane Milton.”

It is a barrier that is made to withstand storm surges up to 15 feet above sea level, the hospital said in a news release. The same device was used when Hurricane Helene drenched the area.

In addition to the AquaFence, the hospital has its own energy plant to provide power and can withstand a Category 5 storm. It has generators and boilers to create steam and hot water.

It also has an on-site water source — a well — to supply water if city water service is disrupted. More than 5,000 gallons of water were also shipped in for patients and employees.

Hospital officials have compiled more than five days of supplies including food and linens.

What you may have missed

Update 7 a.m. ET, Oct. 9: The National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Milton was still a Category 5 hurricane and was expected to make landfall on the Florida Gulf Coast late Wednesday. It had maximum sustained winds of 160 MPH.

The most recent advisory, issued at 5 a.m. Wednesday, Milton was placed about 300 miles southwest of Tampa. It will move across the Florida peninsula and off the east coast of the state on Thursday afternoon.

Milton is predicted to be a Category 4 when it hits land, packing 130 MPH winds, CNN reported.

As the storm closed in, time started to run out for those who should have evacuated.

“This is the 11th hour. If you’re in an evacuation zone, the time to get out is now,” Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said on CNN Wednesday morning.

Pasco County Deputy Incident Commander Colin Burns said on CNN, “Do not hesitate. If you can get out, get out.”

Small plane crashes as passengers evacuate ahead of storm

Update 2:42 p.m. ET, Oct. 8: A small airplane trying to evacuate people from St. Petersburg, Florida, crashed into Tampa Bay on Tuesday.

Four people were on board the Piper Cherokee when it went down, The Associated Press reported. The plane’s engine failed during takeoff, the Tampa Bay Times reported. It took off from Albert Whitted Airport in St. Petersburg.

A good Samaritan in a boat rescued the four passengers and a small dog about 500 feet from shore.

Three of the four people were taken to a hospital, WTSP reported.

Hurricane hunters fly into Hurricane Milton

Update 2:27 p.m. ET, Oct. 8: What is it like to be flying into the middle of a hurricane? The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s storm hunters shared a video on social media as they flew their WP-3D Orion plane, nicknamed “Miss Piggy” into the storm. You can see water streaking across the windows, the plane bouncing and items falling.

Warning there is some mild profanity.

See: Hurricane preps continue

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Evacuations urged

Update 12:26 p.m. ET, Oct. 8: National, state and local government leaders continued to urge those in the path of Hurricane Milton to evacuate.

Eleven counties are under mandatory evacuation orders, The Associated Press reported. That accounts for about 5.9 million people.

President Joe Biden said, “If you’re under evacuation orders, you should evacuate now, now, now. You should have already evacuated. It’s a matter of life and death and that’s not hyperbole,” CNN reported.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told CNN, “We are, of course, very concerned but we are also prepared and prepositioned. And we are assisting the state and local authorities. I think the most important message I can communicate is for people to follow the mandatory evacuation orders. If they know of someone who isn’t, call them and urge them to do so. And to listen and follow the instructions of local officials who know the situation on the ground, locally.”

Pasco County’s director of emergency management Andrew Fossa said the area will get a “black eye” from Milton. “We haven’t seen a storm like this in a lifetime. We’re running out of time. If you’re still in your house, please by all means, evacuate.”

There was a glimmer of hope with the latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center. Milton was not projected to regain enough strength to become a Category 5 storm again, but it will be a strong Category 4 Tuesday and Wednesday, CNN reported. It had maximum sustained winds of 150MPH according to the 11 a.m. ET NHC update.

Astronaut sees hurricane from space

Update 12:19 p.m. ET, Oct. 8: Astronaut Matthew Dominick flew over Hurricane Milton and recorded a timelapse video of the storm, showing how large it was. He shared the video on X.com. Dominick was assigned as a flight engineer on the International Space Station, according to NASA. He launched on March 3 for an approximate 6-month mission.

Portions of Tampa Bay to lose water service today

Update 11:04 a.m. ET, Oct. 8: Portions of the Tampa Bay area will have their water systems shut off to make sure that infrastructure survives the storm, officials said, according to CNN.

“With a significant storm surge expected along coastal parts of the county, the Manatee County Utilities Department scheduled the shut-off of potable water service and sanitary sewer service to the island cities of Anna Maria Island, Holmes Beach, Bradenton Beach, and the Town of Longboat Key,” Manatee County officials said Tuesday.

“Water service, including water for fire protection, will remain off for the duration of the storm and until any repairs are completed. Wastewater service and power are also expected to be unavailable during this time.” Sarasota County officials said, adding that not only will faucets be turned off, but so will fire hydrants.

President Biden postpones trip

Update 10:23 a.m. ET, Oct. 8: President Joe Biden had been scheduled to take a trip overseas, but the trip has been postponed due to Hurricane Milton.

He was to travel to Germany and Angola but will stay in the U.S. to monitor the storm, The Associated Press reported.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced the change on Tuesday.

Evacuation location: Atlanta Motor Speedway

Update 8:48 a.m. ET, Oct. 8: Atlanta Motor Speedway prepared to open its camping areas and showers for people trying to escape Hurricane Milton, WSB reported.

Camping will be free for RVs in the Legends Premium Campground while the Legends Tent Campground will be open for pop-up campers and tents.

If hookups are needed, there will be a few sites that have water, power and sewage “for a nominal fee of $35 per night.”

This is not the first time the race track has opened for hurricane evacuees. It did so in 2017 during Hurricane Irma, hosting more than 100 people at the time, The Associated Press reported.

DeSantis: ‘There is no fuel shortage.”

Update 8:45 a.m. ET, Oct. 8: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis assured residents that there is no fuel shortage in the state.

“Fuel continues to arrive in the state of Florida” despite long lines at gas stations, The Associated Press reported.

He also reminded those evacuating they don’t have to go far to get out of the storm’s danger.

“You do not have to get on the interstate and go far away,” DeSantis said. “You can evacuate tens of miles; you do not have to evacuate hundreds of miles away. You do have options.”

Hurricane could double in size

Update 8:41 a.m. ET, Oct. 8: While Hurricane Milton was downgraded to a Category 4, the storm itself grew larger with winds stretching further from the center.

CNN reported that the wind field grew to 100 miles on Tuesday morning.

“Milton is still a relatively compact hurricane, but the wind field is expected to continue to grow in size as it approaches Florida,” the National Hurricane Center said. “The official forecast shows the hurricane and tropical storm-force winds roughly doubling in size by the time it makes landfall.”

It is expected to have winds extending 230 miles from the center, covering Florida from coast to coast

NHC 8 a.m. update

Update 8:05 a.m. ET, Oct. 8: Hurricane Milton’s maximum sustained winds are registering 145MPH as it moves a bit closer to Tampa, about 545 miles away, the National Hurricane Center reported.

Debris from Helene could pose problem during Milton

Update 7:34 a.m. ET, Oct. 8: As the Tampa region prepares for Milton, the area is still cleaning up from Hurricane Helene which hit about two weeks ago.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said over the weekend he had ordered all debris management sites to be open for 24-hour dropoff, WTSP reported.

“All assets that can help with debris removal are being marshaled to help remove the debris,” he said.

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor asked for help on Sunday from contractors who could haul debris before Milton hits.

College Hunks Hauling and Moving offered seven trucks and 10 crews, WTVT reported.

On Monday, the crews had loaded nearly 40 truckloads, the company’s vice president of operations, Dan Whalen, told the news station.

“Roughly, that’s close to 100 tons of debris in just the past day and a half,” Whalen said.

“Unfortunately, we’ve run out of time, and we won’t be able to get this yard waste up. So do what you can to bring it into the garage, secure it in some way in whatever fashion you can,” Castor said.

Uber to offer free rides to shelters

Update 7:27 a.m. ET, Oct. 8: Uber and the Florida Division of Emergency Management will offer free rides to and from shelters, CNN reported. Evacuees can use the code “MILTONRELIEF” on the Uber app to get a ride to or from state-approved shelters.

Meanwhile, as people leave the storm-targeted area, the highways will get more congested the longer people wait to leave.

“There will be several hours of congestion,” Florida Emergency Management director Kevin Guthrie said, according to CNN. “Traffic is going to be bad while people evacuate.”

What you may have missed

Update 7:13 a.m. ET, Oct. 8: Hurricane Milton has been downgraded to a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 155MPH. The National Hurricane Center said that at 5 a.m. ET, the hurricane was just north of the Yucatan Peninsula” and posed “an extremely serious threat to Florida.” It was about 560 miles southwest of Tampa at the time.

About 3.3 million people live in the region that Milton will hit. About 7,000 federal workers were mobilized to help with the potential recovery.

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said, “This is the real deal here with Milton. If you want to take on Mother Nature, she wins 100% of the time,” The Associated Press reported.

The residents who live in Fort Myers Beach seemed to heed the warnings with the area looking like a ghost town the AP reported. Two years ago Hurricane Ian hit the Fort Meyers Beach area, bringing a 15-foot storm surge. About 400 homes and businesses were destroyed or damaged and 14 people died after not evacuating.

When will landfall be?

Update 3:16 pm. ET, Oct. 7: The National Hurricane Center believes Milton will make landfall on Florida’s west coast on Wednesday evening. It is expected to be a Category 3 when it hits.

Orlando International Airport to close for storm

Update 2:04 p.m. ET, Oct. 7: Orlando International Airport will cease operations on Wednesday morning, airport officials said. While most flights won’t go in or out of MCO once it temporarily ceases operations, the airport will remain open for emergency/aid and relief flights as necessary. The airport is not an authorized shelter during a storm and “cannot accommodate local residents during severe weather events.”

175 MPH winds

Update 1:46 p.m. ET, Oct. 7: Hurricane Milton had maximum sustained winds of 175 MPH, the National Hurricane Center announced Monday afternoon.

It was about 700 miles southwest of Tampa, the NHC said.

Once in 100-year storm

Update 1:18 p.m. ET, Oct. 7: Tampa has not been hit with a storm of this magnitude since 1921 when it suffered 11 feet of storm surge, MIT meteorology professor Kerry Emanuel said.

The National Weather Service also said Hurricane Milton could be the worst seen there in a century.

“If the storm stays on the current track, it will be the worst storm to impact the Tampa area in over 100 years,” the NWS said.

Emmanual called Hurricane Milton the “black swan” worst-case scenario, The Associated Press reported.

The population of the Tampa area in 1921 was much smaller than it is now.

“It’s a huge population. It’s very exposed, very inexperienced and that’s a losing proposition,” Emanuel told the AP. “I always thought Tampa would be the city to worry about most.”

He said that the area’s the shape and low-lying nature makes it prone to flooding.

The exact landfall point could still move north or south over the next few days, CNN reported.

CNN reported Bonita Beach to Big Bend could see up to 12 feet of storm surge.

As people fled before the storm, Interstate 75 was already seeing heavy traffic heading north. Some of the traffic slowed Monday afternoon as people left their homes well before the hurricane hits land, the AP reported.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers will go to New Orleans before hurricane

Update 12:10 p.m. ET, Oct. 7: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be heading to New Orleans on Tuesday morning for the week leading up to Dunday’s game against the Saints, team officials announced.

Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Lightning had been scheduled to play the Nashville Predators on Monday night but the game was canceled Sunday. It had already been rescheduled from the original Sept. 27 date because of Hurricane Helene.

Category 5

Update 11:56 a.m. ET, Oct. 7: The National Hurricane Center announced Hurricane Milton has reached Category 5 with maximum sustained winds of 160 MPH. Gusts registered h higher.

The storm was located at about 735 miles southwest of Tampa and was moving east-southeast at 9 MPH, according to the latest update.

Florida emergency declaration approved

Update 11:54 a.m. ET, Oct. 7: President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency for Flordia which will allow Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate the disaster relief efforts needed once Hurricane Milton hits the state, the White House announced Monday.

Tampa International Airport to close before storm

Update 11:25 a.m. ET, Oct. 7: Tampa International Airport officials announced on X that the airport will suspend flight operations at 9 a.m. Tuesday with no specific time to reopen, writing, that it will “reopen when safe to do so.”

Officials also reminded people that the airport is not a shelter.

Nearly Category 5

Update 11:11 a.m. ET, Oct. 7: Hurricane Milton is nearly at a Category 5 the National Hurricane Center said in its latest update.

The NHC measured the maximum sustained winds at 155 MPH with gusts higher. A Category 5 is when winds reach 157 mph or higher. There is no Category 6.

Hurricane Milton is predicted to become a Category 5 on Monday and will “become a large hurricane over the Gulf of Mexico.” Hurricane-force winds extend up to 30 miles from the center of the storm with tropical-storm-force winds up to 80 miles from the hurricane, the NHC said.

Original report: The National Hurricane Center said the maximum sustained winds are now 150mph.

The hurricane is in the Gulf of Mexico about 735 miles southwest of Tampa, the NHC said.

Areas of Florida with major population centers — Orlando and Tampa — are within the path of the hurricane, less than two weeks since Hurricane Helene hit the state’s panhandle and drenched a large swath of the Southeast portion of the country.

The NHC predicted a dangerous storm surge for the Tampa Bay area, The Associated Press reported.

Hurricane Milton is expected to hit the Tampa Bay area on Wednesday then the storm should move across Florida to the Atlantic Ocean.

Airports prepared for the storm days before landfall. The St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport announced plans on Monday that it will close at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday and will remain closed Wednesday and Thursday.

The airport is in an area that is considered a mandatory evacuation zone. The Florida Division of Emergency Management said the state will see the largest evacuation it has seen since 2017.

“I urge Floridians to finalize your storm preparations now, enact your plan,” director Kevin Guthrie said on Sunday, CNN reported. He said he “highly” encouraged those in Florida to evacuate.

Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister told residents to start preparing over the weekend to evacuate the area on Monday.

“We’ll start issuing those mandatory evacuations. We want to give people at least 24 hours’ amount of time to get to that safe area,” Chronister said, according to CNN.

“If you want to gamble, there’s plenty of avenues to do that, but don’t gamble with you and your family’s live. Please take the necessary precautions and make sure that you relocate somewhere else,” he said.

If people decide to not evacuate and wait out the storm at home, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody gave them a grim directive.

“You probably need to write your name in permanent marker on your arm so that people know who you are when they get to you afterwards,” Moody said, CNN reported.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said to expect widespread power outages.

“This is something that potentially would be greater power outages than what we just saw with Hurricane Helene,” DeSantis said, according to CNN.

He said electrical crews will be staged across the state to restore power quickly.

Check back for more on this developing story.

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