Hurricane Milton: 'Potentially catastrophic' Category 5 storm takes aim at Florida (2024)

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Hurricane-weary residents head out again Category 5 Milton ‘poses an extremely serious threat’ to Florida, NHC says Milton is one of the most powerful storms in 45 years Mayorkas says misinformation at highest level he’s seen Vulnerable west coast of Florida could get storm surge worse than Helene Biden calls Florida Gov. DeSantis, Tampa’s mayor ahead of hurricane Highways back up as people flee hurricane Orlando braces for a foot of rain National Hurricane Center website crashed briefly Milton continues to grow stronger Florida meteorologist becomes emotional while reporting Hurricane watches issued for some areas still recovering from Hurricane Helene Widespread school closings announced in Florida Evacuate and don't worry about looters, Florida officials say FEMA officials to travel to Florida in preparation for Milton DeSantis explains why he has yet to speak to the White House Tampa airport will suspend operations tomorrow morning After Hurricane Helene flooded their home, couple evacuate again NASA postpones launch of mission to Jupiter moon Hurricane Milton’s rapid intensification is part of a climate-fueled trend Gov. Ron DeSantis not taking Harris’ calls on Hurricane Helene Video shows flooding already affecting Florida Hurricane Milton 'explosively intensifies' with winds of 175 mph Florida’s Gulf Coast 'in the bull's-eye' Orlando International Airport to shut down Wednesday Chart: Hurricane Milton’s rapid growth Florida universities cancelling classes ahead of Milton Hurricane Milton now a major Category 5 storm Biden approves emergency declaration for Florida Sarasota County says storm surge could double that of Helene, urges evacuation ASAP Hurricane Milton forecast to soon become a Category 5 storm Tampa Bay Buccaneers getting head start to New Orleans Tampa International Airport closing at 9 a.m. tomorrow Evacuations ordered along Florida's west coast Milton expected to make landfall in Florida as a Category 3 hurricane

Hurricane-weary residents head out again

Hurricane Milton: 'Potentially catastrophic' Category 5 storm takes aim at Florida (1)

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Alicia Victoria Lozano

Jesse Kirsch

Dana Griffin

Hurricane Milton: 'Potentially catastrophic' Category 5 storm takes aim at Florida (4)

Chase Cain

Alicia Victoria Lozano, Jesse Kirsch, Dana Griffin and Chase Cain

Reporting from Sarasota, Florida

Preparations and evacuations were underway today along Florida’s Gulf Coast, whereHurricane Miltonwas intensifying into a “potentially catastrophic” Category 5 storm less than two weeks after Helene bore down on the Southeast.

In downtown Fort Myers, crews boarded up stores and restaurants. Residents in Tampa rushed to stock up on supplies at supermarkets. Debris removal continued throughout the state as officials urged residents to prepare for the worst and heed evacuation orders.

“If you’re in the path ofHurricane #Milton,the time to act is NOW,” the Federal Emergency Management Agency posted on X. “If evacuation orders are given, DO NOT DELAY — leave immediately. Staying could mean risking your life and the lives of those you care about.”

Cleon Dixon, a store owner in the St. Armands Circle area of Sarasota, was removing merchandise from her three stores, which all flooded when Helene pummeled the region. She boarded up windows, taped down what she could and placed sandbags throughout her properties today.

Read the full story here.

Category 5 Milton ‘poses an extremely serious threat’ to Florida, NHC says

Phil Helsel

Hurricane Milton had maximum sustained winds of 165 mph late tonight as it continued on a path that will take it over Florida this week, the National Hurricane Center said in a bulletin.

The hurricane, passing by Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, was moving east at 9 mph around 10 p.m. local time (11 p.m. ET), the agency said.

“Milton poses an extremely serious threat to Florida and residents are urged to follow the orders of local officials,” the hurricane center said.

The storm is forecast to approach the western coast of the Florida Peninsula on Wednesday. Late tonight it was at Category 5.

“While fluctuations in intensity are expected, Milton is forecast to remain an extremely dangerous hurricane through landfall in Florida,” the hurricane center said.

Milton is one of the most powerful storms in 45 years

Dennis Romero

Milton's wind and pressure readings place the fast-evolving hurricane in the history books as one of the most powerful U.S. hurricanes in 45 years.

The storm posted a pressure reading today of 897 millibars, placing it among the top four hurricanes for low pressure since 1979, when federal forecasters more consistently measured the data point.

The ranking is according to information provided by Phil Klotzbach, a hurricane expert and meteorologist at Colorado State University. The lower the air pressure, the stronger the winds and the more powerful the storm are, according to the National Ocean Service.

Low pressure, which allows warm air and tropical precipitation to rise and crank up a storm counterclockwise as it produces wind, has been used to measure a hurricane's strength for decades.

By that measure, Milton has emerged as the strongest hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico since Rita in 2005, Klotzbach said. It also posted wind speeds — 180 mph — that are the highest among modern records for the Gulf of Mexico this late in the year, he said.

The hurricane's winds also make it the most powerful in the 2024 Atlantic season, surpassing the peak 165 mph sustained winds of Hurricane Beryl, which weakened considerably before its Gulf Coast landfall in Matagorda, Texas, on July 8, according to NBC News meteorologists.

On wind strength alone, Milton is in the top 10 most powerful Atlantic hurricanes on record, they said today.

Hurricanes feed off warm water, and Gulf of Mexico sea surface temperatures in the mid- and high-80s, sometimes warmer than the air above, are 2 to 4 degrees above average, which may correlate to climate change.

Milton has been thriving on the warmth, which helped charge up its winds by 95 mph in 24 hours, NBC News meteorologists said.

Mayorkas says misinformation at highest level he’s seen

Phil Helsel

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said that misinformation and intentional lies following devastating Hurricane Helene are at the highest level he has ever seen — and that they’re causing victims to not seek help.

“I have not seen it ever before at this level,” Mayorkas said tonight on MSNBC’s “Inside with Jen Psaki.”

Mayorkas said the hurricane and the response have been politicized as FEMA and others have sought to refute false claims or lies on social media and former President Donald Trump’s comments about the response.

“What happens is the people who are victimized by the natural disaster are the ones who will suffer,” Mayorkas said. “They — it sows distrust in their government, and therefore, they don’t seek the help that they truly need.”

“We have funds to put in their pockets to be able to help them address immediate needs,” he said. “These individuals are not seeking that relief because of the disinformation, the intentionally false information they are receiving.”

Vulnerable west coast of Florida could get storm surge worse than Helene

Phil Helsel

A peak storm surge forecast for somewhere in a stretch of the western coast of Florida of 10 to 15 feet would be worse than what was brought by Hurricane Helene, National Hurricane Center Deputy Director Jamie Rhomesaid.

That peak storm surge is forecast as possible in a stretch between the Anclote River and Englewood, which includes Tampa Bay. The 10 to 15 feet won’t be everywhere in that area, Rhome said, but somewhere.

“If this is realized, this is more surge than was experienced during Helene,” he said in a 5 p.m. briefing. He said the western coast of Florida "is incredibly susceptible to storm surge."

Part of the coast that includes the Cape Coral area could get a peak of 6 to 10 feet, and “that’s still incredibly high storm surge amounts,” he said.

There will also be excessive rain that will cause flooding even before the hurricane hits, and the storm could remain a hurricane the entire time it passes across Florida and into the Atlantic Ocean, Rhome said.

“Basically, all hazards are in play here, a multi-hazard event. You really have to be thinking about significant, widespread power outages for days where Milton crosses the Florida Peninsula,” he said. “Significant downed trees, significant power outages, maybe the inability to move around for several days.”

Biden calls Florida Gov. DeSantis, Tampa’s mayor ahead of hurricane

NBC News

President Joe Biden tonight called Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, the White House said.

Biden spoke with the two leaders about both recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene, which made landfall in Florida only a little more than a week ago, and approaching Hurricane Milton, the White House said.

“He asked the Governor and the Mayor to call him directly if there is anything that can be done to further support the response and recovery efforts,” the White House said in a statement.

Biden also spoke to Ken Graham, director of the National Weather Service, about Hurricane Milton, the White House said.

Highways back up as people flee hurricane

NBC News

The Hillsborough County, Florida, Sheriff’s Office shared helicopter video today and warned about traffic delays as people on the western coast of the state move north ahead of Hurricane Milton.

Hillsborough County includes the Tampa area. Tampa Bay and other parts of the Gulf Coast are under storm surge and hurricane warnings as the hurricane approaches.

Orlando braces for a foot of rain

Reporting from Orlando, FL

Orlando is under a hurricane warning and bracing for dangerous flooding. The inland central Florida city could get a foot of rain as the storm passes over the Florida Peninsula.

In 2022, Hurricane Ian dumped 13 to 15 inches of rain on Orlando, forcing hundreds of rescues from fast-rising waters.

Orlando officials are concerned about the city’s stormwater systems and their capacity.

“Our storm system can handle up to a foot of water or 3 inches in an hour. ... This is going to be a lot worse than that,” City Council member Patty Sheehan told NBC News.

Sheehan urged residents to keep an eye on storm drains near their homes and help clear them if possible. Long-term, she wonders how cities like Orlando can build drainage systems capable of handling more intense rainfall events driven by climate change.

A recent study published in the journal Nature projects stormwater runoff will increase by nearly 50% in many U.S. cities, because a warmer atmosphere allows more precipitation and more intense hourly rainfall rates.

National Hurricane Center website crashed briefly

Evan Bush

The National Hurricane Center's website crashed about 5 p.m. ET today. The website hosts hurricane forecasts, warnings and advisories.

"The NHC site was down for about 15 minutes, but it’s back up now and stable. We’ll have more information to share soon," said Erica Grow Cei, a public affairs specialist for the National Weather Service, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The National Weather Service has experienced network outages and technology troubles during high-impact weather events in the recent past. In April, it experienced outages during an outbreak of tornadoes in the Midwest, according to The Washington Post.

Milton continues to grow stronger

Evan Bush

Hurricane Milton continues to grow stronger this evening, clocking sustained winds of nearly 180 mph, according to the latest National Hurricane Center forecast.

“Milton is expected to grow in size and remain an extremely dangerous hurricane when it approaches the west coast of Florida on Wednesday. A large area of destructive storm surge will occur along parts of the west coast of Florida on Wednesday. This is an extremely life-threatening situation,” the National Hurricane Center wrote in its 5 p.m. ET forecast.

Milton is expected to make landfall somewhere on Florida’s west coast overnight Wednesday and into Thursday morning.

The National Hurricane Center said that Milton could strengthen more today but that it could be beginning an eyewall replacement cycle, which would cause the storm to grow but also slow wind speeds at its center.

Eyewall replacement is a typical process for hurricanes, as thunderstorms on the outside of the storms coalesce into ring structures and then replace the old eyewalls.

While winds could weaken, the potential for damage and destruction remains extreme.

“Milton has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida,” forecasters wrote.

Florida meteorologist becomes emotional while reporting

NBC News

In an update on Hurricane Milton's rapid growth for NBC South Florida, hurricane specialist John Morales became visibly emotional.

“I apologize. This is just horrific,” he said.

Hurricane watches issued for some areas still recovering from Hurricane Helene

Denise Chow

Parts of Florida are bracing for Hurricane Milton's arrival amid ongoing recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene, which made landfall near the city of Perry less than two weeks ago.

Hurricane watches are in effect in the southern parts of Florida’s Big Bend region, where Helene came ashore and battered towns and cities before it moved into Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas.

The National Weather Service yesterday acknowledged the stress and mental toll on residents dealing with two successive hurricanes, posting some tips on X for navigating “fatigue due to disasters.”

The White House detailed in a statement this afternoon how FEMA is assisting with preparations, particularly in areas still reeling from Helene.

“Debris remaining from the impacts of Hurricane Helene poses additional threats to lives and livelihoods if another storm occurs,” the statement said. “FEMA is supporting the State of Florida to expedite the removal of debris from Hurricane Helene in the Tampa region in advance of Hurricane Milton’s landfall.”

Widespread school closings announced in Florida

Denise Chow

A slew of Florida school districts have announced closings as the state prepares for Milton’s arrival.

Schools will be closed tomorrow in more than 20 counties, including Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, Manatee, Osceola and Okeechobee.

Additional closures across much of the state will go into effect Wednesday and Thursday, including in Broward and Nassau counties.

More information about school closings can be found on the state Education Department’s website.

Several universities have canceled classes this week, as well: Florida International University, the University of Tampa, the University of Central Florida in Orlando, the University of Florida in Gainesville and the University of South Florida in Tampa.

Evacuate and don't worry about looters, Florida officials say

David K. Li

Floridians in Milton's path should flee for safety and not give a second thought to potential looting or property theft, authorities said in a news conference.

"This is a law-and-order state," said Dave Kerner, executive director of Florida Highway Patrol. He promised a robust law enforcement presence in evacuated areas.

"We will not tolerate people that are looting, that are trying to take advantage of people that are going through an emergency," he said. "So do not hesitate to evacuate out of fear that your property will be damaged or stolen."

Bumper-to-bumper traffic has clogged interstates as residents of Florida's west coast evacuate ahead of the hurricane's anticipated arrival Wednesday. Shoulders have been open to traffic, but authorities do not plan to reverse the flow of cars in lanes that usually go the opposite direction (a practice known as "contraflow").

"We need that interstate system for staging assets and resources," state Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue said.

FEMA officials to travel to Florida in preparation for Milton

Denise Chow

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell will travel to Florida today to meet with state and local officials ahead of Hurricane Milton’s arrival, the agency said.

The White House said in a a release that FEMA's preparations include mobilizing search-and-rescue teams, debris experts, wastewater specialists and ambulances to support local response efforts. The agency has 20 million meals and 40 million liters of water ready for those affected by Helene and Milton, the White House said.

“FEMA has sufficient funding to both support the response to Hurricane Milton and continue to support the response to Hurricane Helene — including funding to support first responders and provide immediate assistance to disaster survivors,” it said.

After her visit to Florida, Criswell is expected to travel back to North Carolina to oversee Helene recovery efforts there, but other FEMA leaders will remain in Florida for the duration of the storm.

DeSantis explains why he has yet to speak to the White House

David K. Li

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he has yet to speak to President Joe Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris as his state prepares for Hurricane Milton.

Asked at a news conference this afternoon about NBC News' report that he had refused to take calls from Harris, DeSantis said that he didn't know Harris had been trying to reach him and that he has not been in contact with Biden because federal authorities have granted every request from Tallahassee.

“The president has approved what we asked for,” DeSantis told reporters.

“We’re thankful for that,” he added, rejecting suggestions that he has dodged the White House out of political animus. “If there’s something we need that they don’t approve, I will not hesitate to call him.”

Tampa airport will suspend operations tomorrow morning

Denise Chow

Tampa International Airport will halt operations beginning tomorrow at 9 a.m. local time and stay closed until sometime after the storm.

“The Airport anticipates reopening after a damage assessment that will begin as soon as it is safe to do so,” officials said in a statement.

Three other airports managed by the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority — Peter O. Knight, Tampa Executive and Plant City airports—will close on similar timelines, officials said.

Tampa International Airport is in an “A” evacuation zone and thus will not be open to the public or serve as a shelter for people or vehicles during the storm. Instead, airport personnel will work today and tomorrow morning to protect aircraft and jet bridges, secure ground equipment and prepare the airfield and terminals ahead of the hurricane’s arrival.

After Hurricane Helene flooded their home, couple evacuate again

Hurricane Milton: 'Potentially catastrophic' Category 5 storm takes aim at Florida (16)

Erika Angulo

Reporting from Madeira Beach, Florida

John and Rhonda Keigherpacked one last possession from their storm-damaged home on Madeira Beach, Florida, before they drove away: a blue and white dollhouse that Rhonda built 10 years ago.

They carefully carried the dollhouse to the trunk of their car as they prepared to find a safe place out of HurricaneMilton’spath.

“Wedon’thave a house, but we have this house,” John said, trying to smile.

Flooding from Hurricane Helene last month damaged their home, with water reaching 5 feet.This is the couple's second evacuation.

Hurricane Milton: 'Potentially catastrophic' Category 5 storm takes aim at Florida (17)
Hurricane Milton: 'Potentially catastrophic' Category 5 storm takes aim at Florida (18)

The Keighers estimated that for flood, hurricane and wind insurance, they paid $20,000 last year alone.But even if they get insurance money, they do not plan to rebuild, John said.

Rhonda, looking at the pile of debris they pulled out of their mud-covered home, said, “We are exhausted.” They plan to move to Georgia.

Hurricane Milton: 'Potentially catastrophic' Category 5 storm takes aim at Florida (19)

NASA postpones launch of mission to Jupiter moon

Denise Chow

NASA has delayed a planned launch of a mission to Jupiter’s moon Europa.

The agency’s Europa Clipper probe was scheduled to lift off Thursday atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

But NASA yesterday announced that it will postpone the launch because of Hurricane Milton, which is forecast to make landfall Wednesday along Florida’s Gulf Coast. After that, the storm is expected to move east, bringing high winds and heavy rain to Florida’s central and eastern regions, including Cape Canaveral, where the Kennedy Space Center is located.

“The safety of launch team personnel is our highest priority, and all precautions will be taken to protect the Europa Clipper spacecraft,” Tim Dunn, a senior launch director at NASA’s Launch Services Program, said in a statement.

Recovery teams will assess the spaceport and its facilities for damage following the storm, after which agency officials will set a new targeted launch date. NASA said launch opportunities for the Europa Clipper mission extend until Nov. 6.

Hurricane Milton’s rapid intensification is part of a climate-fueled trend

Denise Chow

Hurricane Milton’s last 36 hours have been nothing short of astonishing, as it strengthened from a tropical storm to aCategory 5 hurricanein just over a day.

The storm’s blisteringly fast evolution is part of a trend ofrapidly intensifying stormsfueled by climate change.

The term “rapid intensification” describes an increase in sustained wind speeds of at least 35 mph over a 24-hour period, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Hurricane Milton: 'Potentially catastrophic' Category 5 storm takes aim at Florida (22)

Hurricane Miltonhas obliterated that minimum, undergoing “extreme rapid intensification”: Its maximum sustained wind speed increased by 90 mph in roughly 25 hours, according to the nonprofit research group Climate Central.

Global warming is boosting the intensity of storms by providing the ingredients necessary for them to strengthen, including warm sea surface temperatures and high levels of moisture in the atmosphere.

Read the full story here.

Gov. Ron DeSantis not taking Harris’ calls on Hurricane Helene

Matt Dixon

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is not taking calls fromVice President Kamala Harrisabout storm recovery just over a week after Hurricane Helene hammered parts of his state.

A source familiar with the situation said DeSantis was dodging the Democratic presidential nominee’s calls because they “seemed political,” according to an aide.

“Kamala was trying to reach out, and we didn’t answer,” the DeSantis aide told NBC News.

When asked if DeSantis had spoken to President Joe Biden, the same person said, “not to my knowledge.”

Last week, DeSantis said Biden had called him, but he was flying at the time so could not take the call.

Read the full story here.

Video shows flooding already affecting Florida

NBC News

On X today, user @MilenaAmit posted a video showing an inundated road in Boca Raton, Florida. "Local flood watches already in effect thru Thursday, and we’re not even in Milton’s direct path," the post says. "Pray for Florida."

Milton is expected to make landfall in Florida on Wednesday.

Hurricane Milton 'explosively intensifies' with winds of 175 mph

Denise Chow

Hurricane Milton has “explosively” intensified, with maximum sustained winds of 175 mph, according the latest bulletin from the National Hurricane Center.

The agency said Milton is now a "potentially catastrophic" Category 5 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, which ranks hurricanes from 1 to 5 based on a storm’s maximum sustained wind speed.

"While fluctuations in intensity are expected, Milton is forecast to remain an extremely dangerous hurricane through landfall in Florida," the NHC said.

Milton is currently about 700 miles southwest of Tampa, Florida, and is moving east at around 9 mph. The hurricane is expected to move near the Yucatan Peninsula today and tomorrow, then cross the eastern Gulf of Mexico and make landfall along Florida’s west coast on Wednesday.

Florida’s Gulf Coast 'in the bull's-eye'

NBC News

Hurricane Milton has strengthened to a Category 5 storm as it approaches Florida’s Gulf Coast and is expected to make landfall Wednesday. NBC News’ Dana Griffin and Bill Karins report on the storm’s path and how residents are reacting.

Orlando International Airport to shut down Wednesday

David K. Li

Orlando International Airport (MCO) will shut down on Wednesday morning, officials said, in anticipation of Hurricane Milton heading inland.

Tampa International Airport earlier today announced it was closing on Tuesday morning, with Milton headed its way from the Gulf of Mexico.

"This move was made in coordination with our partners," according to an MCO statement. "We will resume commercial operations as soon as it is safe."

Chart: Hurricane Milton’s rapid growth

Joe Murphy

Hurricane Milton took about 19 hours to grow from a tropical storm to a Category 4 –the fastest in the Atlantic since Hurricane Eta in 2020. And among hurricanes in this and the previous two years, Milton is the quickest to grow so powerful, according to an NBC News analysis of government data.

Florida universities cancelling classes ahead of Milton

Hurricane Milton: 'Potentially catastrophic' Category 5 storm takes aim at Florida (27)

Carla Kakouris-Solarana

David K. Li

Carla Kakouris-Solarana and David K. Li

Universities across Florida called off classes this week as Hurricane Milton quickly headed toward the state's west coast, officials said.

The University of South Florida in Tampa shut down today and will be closed through at least Wednesday, the Tampa school announced.

The University of Tampa will heed a Hillsborough County mandatory evacuation order, with academic and business buildings closed by 3 p.m. today and residence halls to be emptied by 6 a.m. tomorrow, school officials said.

The University of Central Florida in Orlando will suspend all campus activity Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, officials said.

The University of Florida in Gainesville will be shuttered starting at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, with hopes of operations starting again on Friday morning, UF said.

Hurricane Milton now a major Category 5 storm

NBC News

The National Hurricane Center says Hurricane Milton is now a Category 5 — the highest rating on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale for a storm — with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph.

The storm is about 125 miles west of Progreso, Mexico, and about 735 miles southwest of Tampa, Florida, the agency said at 11:55 a.m ET.

Biden approves emergency declaration for Florida

NBC News

President Biden has approved an emergency declaration for Florida ahead of Hurricane Milton's landfall in the state, the White House said in a statement.

"The President’s action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures," the statement said.

Hurricane Milton: 'Potentially catastrophic' Category 5 storm takes aim at Florida (29)

Sarasota County says storm surge could double that of Helene, urges evacuation ASAP

Hurricane Milton: 'Potentially catastrophic' Category 5 storm takes aim at Florida (30)

Nicole Duarte

David K. Li

Nicole Duarte and David K. Li

Sarasota County authorities today strongly urged their 400,000-plus residents to leave as soon as possible with Hurricane Milton racing toward Florida's west coast.

Storm surge of 10 to 12 feet "is being predicted for our area," which is double that of the surge in the region during Hurricane Helene, said Sandra Tapfumaneyi, county emergency management chief.

While the county didn't make the evacuations mandatory, authorities did order everyone off nearby barrier islands.

Hurricane Milton: 'Potentially catastrophic' Category 5 storm takes aim at Florida (32)

Sheriff Kurt Hoddman said Milton will be stronger than Helene so the prudent action is to leave at once.

"Execute your plan today and get out of there," Hoddman said."We escaped Hurricane Helene without any deaths in this county.I think it’s fair to say this is a different storm."

Hurricane Milton forecast to soon become a Category 5 storm

Hurricane Milton: 'Potentially catastrophic' Category 5 storm takes aim at Florida (33)

Jay Varela

David K. Li

Jay Varela and David K. Li

Hurricane Milton is rapidly intensifying and is forecast to reach a maximum Category 5 classification, officials said today.

Category 5 requires winds greater than 157 mph, and Milton had already registered at 155 mph by 10 a.m. ET today, 720 miles southwest of Tampa, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers getting head start to New Orleans

David K. Li

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will take off for New Orleans tomorrow, well in advance of their Week 6 contest against the host Saints, the NFL club announced.

NFL teams generally travel to road games a day or two ahead of kickoff.

But with Hurricane Milton quickly moving toward Tampa, the Bucs elected to move their weekly game prep to New Orleans, where they'll play the Saints at 1 p.m. Sunday.

Tampa International Airport closing at 9 a.m. tomorrow

Hurricane Milton: 'Potentially catastrophic' Category 5 storm takes aim at Florida (36)

Jay Blackman

David K. Li

Jay Blackman and David K. Li

Tampa International Airport officials announced they'll be suspending "all commercial and cargo operations" at 9 a.m. tomorrow and the airport will remain "closed to the public until it can assess any damage after the storm."

Hurricane Milton has the potential to bring "catastrophic storm surge, high winds and heavy rain to Tampa Bay and all of Florida’s Gulf Coast," according to an airport statement.

The state's fourth-busiest airport "anticipates reopening after a damage assessment that will begin as soon as it is safe to do so," the airport said.

Major airlines such as Alaska, American, Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit, United and Virgin Atlantic run flights out of Tampa.

Evacuations ordered along Florida's west coast

Marlene Lenthang

Hillsborough County issued a mandatory evacuation for Evacuation Zones A an B, for all mobile homes and manufactured housing starting at 2:30 p.m. today. Those residentsshould be in a safe location by 7 a.m. Wednesday.Nine shelters will be opened in mandatory evacuation zones.

Sarasota County today also called for evacuations for those in levels A and B (which includes barrier islands), and those in mobile or manufactured homes. Those living in level C“should be prepared to evacuate if the storm intensifies.”

In the coastal city of Anna Maria, south of Tampa, a mandatory order begins at midday. Pinellas County has begun mandatory evacuations for long-term care facilities.

Milton expected to make landfall in Florida as a Category 3 hurricane

Jesse Kirsch

Reporting from SARASOTA, Florida

The National Hurricane Center said Milton is expected to make landfall in Florida as a Category 3 hurricane Wednesday afternoon. NBC News’ Jesse Kirsch reports on how debris leftover from Hurricane Helene could become a hazard in Milton’s high speed winds.

Hurricane Milton: 'Potentially catastrophic' Category 5 storm takes aim at Florida (2024)
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