Hurricane Milton live updates: Florida makes last-minute prep before 'catastrophic' storm hits (2024)

FEMA administrator says agency is ready to help save lives

In Polk County, Florida, rain bands have already moved in and tropical storm force winds are forecast to start this evening.

Paul Womble, the county's Emergency Management Director, urged people to “go now” to shelters. He said “there’s plenty of capacity” in the county where there are currently 2,800 people are in 19 shelters.

“Don’t wait — the time to be able to move around safely and make those last-minute preparations is rapidly closing,” he said.

He warned locals to anticipate power outages, fierce winds, downed trees, around 6 to 12 inches of rain and in some places as much as 18 inches. Anyone who wants to haul debris to the landfill should do so by 1 p.m. today.

“Even if the track goes right over Polk County, even if those rains were to our north, that water will still flow down to Polk County. That may take two or three days to realize focus, for that water to get here and we see what the impacts are,” he warned.“We don’t want to have any loss of life.”

Gov. Ron DeSantis said residents near the western Gulf Coast still have time to evacuate.

“Within the next 24 hours, you still have time to evacuate if you are in an evacuation zone, particularly if you're in Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, those areas. I mean this track can bounce around … you have time to do that. Now conditions aren’t going to be great today … but the best option would probably be evacuate within your own county to one of the shelters,” he said in a storm briefing this morning.

There are 149 general population shelters open throughout the state with a current total shelter population of 31,000, the governor said.

“We have room in those shelters for a total population of almost 200,000 individuals. So there is space available in these shelters,” DeSantis said.

Thus far the state has assisted with the evacuation of 352 health care facilities in potential path of the storm and 16 hospitals have been fully evacuated.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said while there’s hope that Milton will weaken before landfall, “there is high confidence that this hurricane is going to pack a major, major punch and do an awful lot of damage.”

In a briefing this morning Desantis said he’s spoken to the president, remains in contact with FEMA and last minute efforts are underway to clear leftover Helene debris and get fuel to stations and communities in need.

“We are bracing and are prepared to receive a major hit,” he said.

Thus far, the state has deployed more than 11,000 feet of flood protection systems, stationed generators, tarps, supplies and linemen, erected around critical infrastructure like hospitals, and called up 6,000 Florida National Guardsmen as well as 3,000 guardsmen from other states.

He said that some gas stations have run out of fuel and that the Florida Highway Patrol has facilitated 106 long-distance fuel tanker escorts to transport almost a million gallons of gasoline from ports in the Tampa area to other communities.

“We still have on hand 1.6 million gallons of diesel and 1.1 million gallons of gasoline. Right now, there is no fuel shortage. However, demand has been extraordinarily high,” he said, noting fuel reserves are staged and will be used as needed.

He said that debris from Helene has been reduced by about 50% in areas likeManatee, Sarasota and Pinellas counties, and those clearing efforts are winding down as Milton nears.

Florida residents still looking to evacuate Wednesday are facing a still-rising percentage of gas stations out of fuel.

According to the gas tracking app GasBuddy, as of 9:30 a.m., 23% of stations statewide reported being out of gas.

For the Tampa Bay area, the figure climbed to more than 59%.

And for Sarasota, which updated weather models now show may see more impact from Milton than first anticipated, more than 39% are out.

On Tuesday afternoon, a spokesperson for Florida's Department of Emergency management said in an email to NBC News that 1 million gallons of gas were coming into the state that day, with another 6 million gallons on the way "in the coming days."

Tornadoes struck South Florida, hundreds of miles from the core of Hurricane Milton as authorities near Miami told residents who live by Interstate 75 to seek immediate shelter.

The entire region is under a tornado watch until 9 p.m. as outer bands of Milton made their way through the area, NBC South Florida reported.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas discussed how federal agencies are poised to react following Hurricane Milton on "Morning Joe."

Transit America Services workers dismantle rail crossing bars in in Kissimmee, Fla., yesterday ahead of the expected landfall of Hurricane Milton.

Video from the U.S. Coast Guard this morning shows the rescue of four people and a dog after their small plane crashed as they were trying to flee Hurricane Milton yesterday.

The video shows the view from a U.S. Coast Guard Miami aircrew aircraft, depicting the people on the dingy of a good Samaritan floating in the water.

The small private plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Albert Whitted Airport in St. Petersburg and went into the water just east of the St. Pete Pier just before 11 a.m. yesterday, St. Petersburg Police police said. The plane’s engine failed after takeoff and soon after crashing became “fully submerged in water.”

In the video, Lt. Chad D. Paulson recounts the rescue saying the aircrew first found the downed plane and spotted the four people "holding on to tail wing of aircraft because that was the only thing that could float."

A good Samaritan followed the Coast Guard's position and pulled the people and dog onto their dingy. From there, maritime law enforcement were able to rescue them.

With the help of police and St. Pete Fire Rescue, three of those passengers were treated at the scene and taken to a hospital with no life threatening injuries.

A tornado watch has been issued across the bottom half of Florida, affecting more than 12 million people from Tampa to Key Largo.

The advisory is in place through 9 p.m. ET today with several tornadoes likely, as well as possible isolated hail up to a half-inch in size and isolated gusts of up to 70 mph.

The watch is in place for the counties of Broward, Miami-Dade, Desoto, Hendry, Indian River, Pinellas, Charlotte, Hillsborough, Manatee, Palm Beach and Sarasota, among others.

Reporting from FORT MYERS, Florida

Residents across Florida are heeding evacuation orders from officials before Hurricane Milton makes landfall. NBC News’ Jay Gray reports from Fort Myers on the safety measures taken in preparation for the Category 5 hurricane.

Orlando International Airport has ceased commercial operations this morning ahead of Hurricane Milton.

“We’ll resume operations as soon as it’s safe, based on damage assessments,” the airport wrote on X.

Several others in west and central Florida have already shuttered including Tampa International Airport, St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport and Sarasota Bradenton International Airport.

There's also still heavy traffic on the roads as people leave for higher ground.

The city manager for Clearwater, in the Tampa Bay area, told locals this morning that it's not too late to evacuate.

“You don’t have to go far, you just have to go to higher ground. There are shelters available,” Jennifer Poirrier told NBC News Now.

“We’re continuing to encourage people that it is not too late to get out. If you’re in those low-lying areas and mandatory evacuation zones of A, B and C, there is still time,” she said.

She added that the storm surge from Milton was an extreme concern.

“We’re planning for worst case scenario, which is devastating and which is why we’re telling people this is not the one to ride out,” she said, noting police and first responders are going door to door to encourage people to leave.

Poirriersaid an encouraging sign is that most people have evacuated beach areas.

Hurricane Milton seen passing through the Gulf of Mexico from the window of NASA’s Dragon Endeavour spacecraft yesterday.

Locals on Florida's Gulf Coast still reeling from Helene are expressing their fears over Milton's landfall, forecast to bring double the storm surge and even stronger winds that could turn flying debris into "weapons."

Robert Zastudiltold NBC affiliate WFLA of Tampa that locals are “scared, but they don’t want to go.”

“We want to leave, but we really want to stay. We’re being told that we need to leave, but we’re scared. Are we making the right decision?” he said. “I think Florida has been dodging stuff like this for years and it’s just our time now.”

Hurricane Milton is now a Category 4 storm with sustained winds of 155 mph, but it is "expected to remain an extremely dangerous major hurricane when it reaches the west-central coast of Florida tonight," the National Hurricane Center said this morning.

The NHC said in an 8 a.m. update that preparations to protect life and property, including evacuations where they have been ordered or advised, should be "rushed to completion."

A National Hurricane Center graphic shows the projected arrival of storm force winds as Hurricane Milton makes its way east.Another shows the amount of rainfall forecast as Hurricane Milton approaches Florida.

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor this morning urged locals who haven't evacuated yet to get out and get to a shelter.

She told NBC's "TODAY" this morning: “This isn’t a drill. This is the biggest storm that we have certainly seen here in the Tampa area in over a century.”

“Whenever that storm surge comes and it’s 10 to 15 feet and people are trying to ride this out in single story structures — there’s no place to go. And when winds get up to hurricane speeds, there’s nobody to come and get you,” she said.

She stressed that “people aren’t trapped,” in their homes and that police and special engagement teams are going door to door. “If it gets down to the point, we can just bring them to a shelter,” Castor said.

Castor said that Tampa is replenishing gas stations as quickly as possible as demand for fuel has surged, noting “our fuel reserves were full a day or two ago.” Tampa has also been able to clear 70-75% of household debris off the street leftover from Helene, a feat that would normally take three months, but has been accomplished in just three weeks.

She added that people don't need to get out of state, "just get to higher ground."

“It is the water that we've got to run from and that’s going to the the most impactful ... It goes 20 miles south of us it’ll take that water out of our bay. So we don’t wish anything on our neighbors ... but any wobble will a significant difference for the Gulf Coast,” she said.

The "TODAY" show’s Al Roker shares the latest on Hurricane Milton, tracking different storm surge scenarios based on the potential paths the powerful Category 5 storm will take and says tornadoes are also likely to develop in several impacted areas.

Hurricane Milton could result in a $60 billion loss for the global insurance industry, creating a surge in 2025 reinsurance prices which could boost some insurance companies' shares, analysts at RBC Capital said.

The Category 5 hurricane is due to make landfall on the Gulf Coast of Florida late today or early tomorrow, and is potentially one of the most destructive ever to hit the region, which is still recovering from devastation caused by Hurricane Helene less than two weeks ago.

More than 1 million people in coastal areas are under evacuation orders.

A $60 billion loss would be similar to losses from Hurricane Ian, which hit Florida in 2022, the RBC analysts said today, adding that this estimate for Milton should be “very manageable” for the insurance sector.

“Market seems to be pricing in a similar impact from Hurricane Ian of a $60bn industry loss in 2022,” they said.

Dark clouds form over an apartment complex on Treasure Island, Florida, yesterday, ahead of Hurricane Milton’s expected landfall.

They went to Disney World for theme park rides and photo ops with Mickey Mouse. Now they’re adding an unexpected adventure to their Disney vacations: Hunkering down at the resort to ride out a ferocious hurricane that is headed toward Florida.

In the past few days,Hurricane Miltonhas morphed from a pesky storm system in the Gulf of Mexico to a historic hurricane that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has warned will be a “monster.” The quick pace at which Milton intensified took forecasters by surprise — and has left numerous Disney enthusiasts who didn’t anticipate airport closures or other weather-related travel interruptions stranded in the Orlando area.

“We came to the realization that we’re stuck here,” said Telissa Carpenter, an Indianapolis resident who is vacationing at Disney with her son for his 30th birthday.

Read the full story here.

Gas pumps in Cocoa, Fla., are wrapped in plastic prior to the arrival of Hurricane Milton yesterday.

Reporting from ST. PETERSBURG, Florida

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Homesknocked off their foundations, piles of wet carpet, wood and pipes rotting in the sun, and abandoned cars and trucks littering roads glazed with mud and blocked by debris.

With one of the most powerful hurricanes in a century barreling toward Florida yesterday, the Twin City mobile home park was already a scene of devastation because of Hurricane Helene.

Now, as Hurricane Milton stays on track to hit the state today, residents of Twin City say they’re unprepared for the double whammy of nearly back-to-back hurricanes.

Read the full article here

According to the Florida Division of Emergency Management, there are mandatory evacuation orders in place for:

Charlotte County; Citrus County; Collier County; Hillsborough County; Hernando County; Lee County; Levy County; Manatee County; Pasco County; Pinellas County; Sarasota County; St. John’s County and Volusia County;

There are voluntary evacuation orders in place for:

Glades County; Okeechobee County; Dixie County; Hardee County; Miami-Dade Countyand Union County.

See the full list, including special circumstances for Pinellas, Sarasota, Desoto and Marion counties, here.

In Hillsborough County, Fla., debris from Hurricane Helene remains largely uncollected as crews continue cleanup efforts, said Kim Byer, assistant administrator of Public Works. Despite their efforts since Helene’s landfall, resources and time have been insufficient to clear all the debris.

Many Floridians are concerned about debris left behind by Helene as Hurricane Milton threatens even greater devastation. Jeff Patterson with NBC affiliate WFLA of Tampa reports from one community where the debris is still piled high.

Forecasters are urging people in Florida to make preparations or leave their homes today, as the National Hurricane Center confirmed that Milton is a "catastrophic Category 5 hurricane" and will hit Florida later today or early tomorrow as a major storm.

In a 5 a.m. ET update, the agency underlined that a storm surge warning is in place for almost the entirety of Florida's Gulf Coast, as well as a hurricane warning from Bonita Beach to the Suwannee River.

On the east coast, the storm surge warning stretches from Sebastian Inlet, up to Altamaha Sound, Georgia.

The agency has also upgraded a tropical storm watch for the Georgia coastline, from Altamaha Sound to the Savannah River, to a tropical storm warning.

As Hurricane Milton barrels toward Florida’s west coast, a new report estimates how much more intense Hurricane Helene’s winds and rain were because of climate change. The scientists behind the research said that they expect Milton to behave similarly and that it is likely to be worse because of climate change, as well.

The report, published at midnight, comes from the World Weather Attribution group, a consortium of scientists that analyzes extreme weather and is considered a foremost authority in determining how much climate change has influenced a particular event.

The findings indicate that Hurricane Helene’s wind speeds were 11% more intense and its rainfall totals were about 10% higher because of climate change.

Read the full story here.

For the second time in the last two weeks, a public health emergency has been declared in Florida because of a hurricane.

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra made the declaration yesterday to better deal withthe health impacts of Hurricane Milton.

“We will do all we can to assist Florida officials with responding to the health impacts of Hurricane Milton,” Becerra said in a statement. “We are working closely with state and local health authorities, as well as our partners across the federal government, and stand ready to provide additional public health and medical support.”

The federal government has already deployed nearly 100 responders, medical equipment and supplies, according to officials.

The sheriff of the county that includes Tampa, part of the most populous region in Milton’s bull’s-eye, said that those in mandatory evacuation zones who stay put are gambling with their lives.

“They’re on their own, you know,” Sheriff Chad Chronister of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, told “Top Story with Tom Llamas” last night.

It’s unsafe for anyone, including those with badges, to be out amid tropical storm-level winds — those 39 to 73 mph — or greater, he said. Forecasters expect Milton to reach shore with destructive winds well above 100 mph, rain amounting to 10 inches, and a coastal storm surge as high as 10 feet.

“When does it become too unsafe to where we have to suspend service?” Chronister said.

If that happens, 911 callers in communities under mandatory evacuations may not get help, he said.

“I don’t know why you’re gambling with your life or the life of your loved one, but realize this storm is going to be different,” the sheriff said. “When these wind shear and wind speeds reach a certain speed, I can’t imagine a feeling when someone calls for help and there’s no one coming.”

Hurricane Milton is expected to strike the west coast of Florida in the early hours of tomorrow with 100-mph winds and a 15-foot storm surge. NBC News meteorologist Michelle Grossman tracks the hurricane’s expected path and impact for "Early TODAY."

With the second major hurricane in the past two weeks now barreling toward Florida, state and federal emergency management officials are scrambling to put personnel, equipment and supplies in place.

Officials of the Federal Emergency Management Agency — amid ongoing concern over what’s expected to be the strongest storm surge in decades — insisted it is ready for Hurricane Milton’s expected landfall late tonight or early tomorrow and is fully capable of juggling concurrent disasters.

“Yes, we have the resources that we need, both for the Helene response and for Hurricane Milton,” Keith Turi, FEMA’s acting associate administrator, said this week. “I will defer to the White House on the timing of when we may need additional resources, but we want to assure everyone we have the resources we need to respond to both Helene and Milton.”

Former FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate also downplayed any fears that FEMA isn’t up for the daunting challenge it faces.

Not everyone is as confident, however.

Read the full story here.

When Hurricane Milton reaches Florida’s Gulf Coast, forecasters warn, the immense and powerful storm could generate “life-threatening” storm surge of up to 15 feet in a region that’s particularly flood-prone.

“The Florida west coast is very sensitive to storm surge. It doesn’t take much to push water over land that would be dry,” said Cody Fritz, the storm surge unit team lead at the National Hurricane Center. “It’s extremely vulnerable.”

Storm surge is the abnormal rise in water levels during a storm, as heavy hurricane winds push a bulge of water toward shore as depths become shallower. While winds are the primary cause of storm surge, it’s also affected by a storm’s angle of approach, the shape of the ocean floor and the low pressure within a storm, which slightly aids the bulging effect.

Because of the way storm surge can quickly inundate coastal locations and penetrate well inland, it’s typically one of the deadliest threats from a hurricane.

Part of the problem is the region’s topography. Florida’s western coastline along the Gulf of Mexico isn’t very deep, and it features a gentle underwater slope.

“The continental shelf is quite shallow,” Fritz said. “It doesn’t take a lot of force.”

Read the full story here.

Almost the entirety of Florida was under hurricane warnings or watches, or tropical storm warnings early this morning as the storm approaches.

Evacuation orders covered coastal areas at risk of being inundated by storm surge and other life-threatening effects, and officials spent yesterday telling people to leave while there was still time to get out.

But areas with populations of around 11.4 million were under hurricane warnings, according to the National Weather Service.

Areas with 1.9 million were under hurricane watches; tropical storm warnings covered 8.7 million; and a storm surge warning covered regions where 5.5 million call home, according to the agency’s website.

Milton exploded from a Category 1 storm to a Category 5 storm in a matter of hours. The reason for the rapid intensification? Climate change.

"Science Guy" Bill Nye breaks down how climate change relates to hurricanes.

The NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers and NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning have left Florida ahead ofHurricane Miltonto practice the rest of the week.

The Bucs departed yesterday, relocating to New Orleans, where they’ll face the Saints on Sunday. The Lightning left for Raleigh, North Carolina, on Monday night to continue preparations for their season opener against the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday night.

The Lightning’s home opener against Carolina is set for Saturday night and is on as scheduled for now.

At the college level, the American Athletic Conference announced that a football game between Memphis and South Florida at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa has been rescheduled from Friday night to Saturday. The conference plans to monitor conditions after Milton passes and adjust accordingly.

UCF’s Big 12 home football game vs. Cincinnati remains scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. EDT kickoff in Orlando.

UCF’s men’s soccer match vs. Marshall was rescheduled from Friday night to Sunday. Other college events postponed include a women’s soccer match in Boca Raton between Florida Atlantic and Rice; it was to be played tomorrow and now will be played on Oct. 17.

The LPGA Tour postponed the qualifying stage of its LPGA Q-Series that was scheduled for Oct. 13-18 at Plantation Golf and Country Club in Venice, Florida. The tour said it would provide an update for the qualifying tournament after the storm passes.