Evacuation windows narrow as Hurricane Milton approaches Florida

Highway signage announces the impending arrival of Hurricane Milton and the evacuation zones on Tuesday in Port Richey, Fla.
Mike Carlson/AP

People in Florida are quickly running out of time to head to higher ground ahead of Hurricane Milton making landfall along the state's western coastline, an event now expected as early as Wednesday night.

The situation is especially dire: "Milton has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida,” the National Hurricane Center said on Wednesday.

Heavy rain was spreading over southwestern and west-central Florida early Wednesday, bringing some of the hurricane's first direct effects to the U.S. With conditions deteriorating as the day wears on, people in the storm’s path are being urged to finish any preparations -- and evacuate if ordered to do so.

Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall on Florida's Gulf Coast and blast across the state while maintaining its hurricane strength.
National Hurricane Center

Where is Milton now?

As of 8 a.m. ET, Milton was a high-end Category 4 storm with maximum sustained wind speeds of 155 miles per hour, the NHC said — a slight decrease from the 160 mph speeds seen in the early morning. It was about 250 miles southwest of Tampa and traveling at 16 mph. Multiple safety advisories and evacuation orders are in effect in western Florida. The National Hurricane Center predicts the storm surge could get as high as 15 feet in some places, and rainfall totals could reach 18 inches.

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Storm surge warnings are in effect for Florida's west coast from Flamingo northward to Yankeetown, including Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay. Hurricane warnings are in effect for Bonita Beach northward to Suwannee River, including Tampa Bay. Hurricane warnings also are in effect for the state's east coast from the St. Lucie-Martin County Line northward to Ponte Vedra Beach.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has issued states of emergency in 51 out of 67 counties.

"There's going to be impacts far beyond wherever the eye of the storm is," DeSantis said Tuesday. “You should be executing your plan now. If you're going to get out, get out now. You have time today. Time will be running out very shortly if you wait any longer."

The storm is big, and it will get bigger

Forecasters warn that Milton will get bigger as it approaches Florida — adding emphasis to their frequent advice not to focus on where landfall occurs, as perils from water and wind often occur far from a hurricane’s center.

That’s particularly true with Milton: while its storm surge and rain is predicted to bring extremely high water levels to a broad part of the Gulf Coast, the hurricane’s “wind field is expected to grow considerably in size while it moves across Florida,” the NHC said on Wednesday.

Milton became a hurricane on Sunday after its wind speeds increased over very warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico. Milton's arrival comes just under two weeks after Hurricane Helene brought catastrophic levels of storm surge, rain and strong winds to Florida.