Florida residents urged to prepare for evacuation as Hurricane Milton picks up speed

Florida residents are being urged to prepare for evacuation orders as Hurricane Milton rapidly closes in over the western coast.

As of 7 a.m. CDT on Oct. 7, Hurricane Milton is a Category 3 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 110 knots at 125 mph.

According to the National Hurricane Center, there is an increasing risk of life-threatening storm surge and damaging winds for portions of the west coast of the Florida peninsula beginning Tuesday night (Oct. 8) or early Wednesday (Oct. 9). Storm Surge and Hurricane Watches are now in effect for portions of the west coast of the Florida peninsula, with residents of those areas being urged to follow evacuation orders, if necessary and/or enacted.

The warning comes as Florida residents continue to clean up the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which slammed Florida’s Gulf Coast on Sept. 26 as a Category 4 hurricane, with winds reaching more than 140mph (225km/h) and a 15ft (4.5m) storm surge.

The Florida Division of Emergency Management reports that on Oct. 6, Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 51 counties.

What is a storm surge?

A storm surge is a rise in seawater level that occurs during a storm, mostly due to the combination of strong winds and low atmospheric pressure. When hurricanes approach land, their winds push water toward the shore, causing water levels to rise. The lower pressure in the storm’s centre also allows the sea surface to rise further.

Florida will experience heavy rainfall today well ahead of Milton, with more expected Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning. Flash, urban and areal flooding, along with the potential for moderate to major flooding could also occur as a result of the storm surge and significantly higher tide.

Infrastructure, road and state closures

Currently, no Florida State Parks are closed in anticipation of Hurricane Milton. For updates on state parks affected by Hurricane Helene or Tropical Storm Milton, visit FloridaStateParks.org/StormUpdates.

The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) is currently staging high-water rescue vehicles in preparation for landfall.

The Florida Department of Transportation is currently analyzing flooding vulnerabilities for major roadways and bridges, however, all major highways and roadways remain open, with no closures in effect.

VISIT FLORIDA Emergency Accommodation Modules on Expedia, Priceline and Booking.com will remain available to provide real-time hotel availability and lodging resources for impacted Floridians and visitors.

For more safety information from VISIT FLORIDA, click here.