U.S. forecasters are warning of destructive waves, devastating winds and flash flooding through the week as Hurricane Milton makes its way from the Yucatan Peninsula towards Florida.
Milton is expected to grow in size and reach the west coast of Florida on Wednesday as a Category 3 storm, with wind speeds between 180-210 km/h.
9:35 a.m. EDT: Canada issues travel advisory
Travellers should avoid non-essential travel to Florida’s coasts, the Canadian government has warned.
Hurricane Milton could disrupt transportation systems, electricity availability, water and food supply, telecommunications, emergency services and medical care, according to the travel advisory.
The advisory extends from the west coast — from Chokoloskee to the mouth of the Suwanee River, including Tampa Bay – to the area between St. Lucie/Indian River County Line northward to Ponte Vedra Beach, on the east coast.
If you are near the affected areas, be cautious, monitor local news and weather reports, and follow instructions from authorities, reads the advisory.
This map, produced by Florida’s emergency management division, shows areas expected to be affected by storm surges.
8:30 a.m. EDT: ‘Time is running out’
In a news conference Tuesday morning, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis urged people to leave their homes as soon as they can if they are in a disaster zone.
Traffic is expected to be heavy toward relief areas on Tuesday, because “there are only so many places you can go,” he said. He reiterated there are shelter areas available tens of miles away, and that residents don’t need to drive for hours to evade the storm.
Traffic ramped up by 150 per cent above normal on the interstate Monday evening, and similar congestion is expected on Tuesday. At its peak last night, traffic on Interstate 25 averaged around 20 mph (40 km/h), according to the governor.
Power outages are expected when Milton makes landfall. Residents in affected areas should ensure their devices are charged. Uber is also offering free rides to and from shelters in affected areas with the promocode “MiltonRelief.”
DeSantis said the Helene disaster relief fund, which accepts private donations from individuals and corporations, has raised US$4 million. The fund will remain open to help pay for damage caused by Milton.
“We can rebuild homes, we can rebuild businesses,” he said. “You do have time to get to a shelter, but that time is running out.”
7:35 a.m. EDT: Airlines affected
Tampa International Airport will suspend flights at 9 a.m. EDT Tuesday, staff wrote on social media.
“TPA is not a shelter for people or vehicles,” reads the post. Parking lots will be closed.
Peter O. Knight, Tampa Executive and Plant City airports, all of which are operated by the Hillsborough County authority, will close around the same time.
Orlando International Airport will close at 8 a.m. EDT on Wednesday.
Those closures are expected to affect scheduled flights to and from Canadian airports.
Toronto Pearson said it’s monitoring the situation closely.
7 a.m. EDT: Satellite captures churning storm
Colorado State University’s Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere has released overnight satellite imagery of Milton moving east.
6:35 a.m. EDT: Evacuations underway
Traffic data from Google Maps shows some congestion northbound on Interstate 75 north of Tampa. We saw images of heavy traffic on the highway late Monday as people moved out of flood zones.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said earlier that the state has suspended tolls and opened roadway shoulders to allow for increased volumes.
“You do not need to travel hundreds of miles from home to evacuate safely—every county has pet-friendly shelters, special needs shelters, and other options that are safe from storm surge,” he said in a social media post.
Thirty-thousand hydro workers are being relocated from elsewhere in the U.S. to restore power in the storm’s wake, he added.
6 a.m. EDT: Florida still cleaning up Helene
Milton is expected to make landfall in Florida in the Tampa Bay area, which is home to more than 3 million people.
The state’s emergency management department has ordered evacuations across the west coast.
Many are still cleaning up from Helene, the deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland U.S. since Katrina in 2005. At least 230 people have been reported dead. On Florida’s Gulf Coast, it destroyed homes, tore down trees and flooded communities.
5:15 a.m. EDT: Hurricane Milton path map
Federal forecasters say “damaging hurricane-force winds and a life-threatening storm surge” are expected across the northern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula on Tuesday.
In its 4 a.m. CDT (5 a.m. EDT) advisory, the National Hurricane Center located the eye of the storm northeast of Progreso, Mexico.
With files from The Associated Press