Florida officials have issued final evacuation warnings as Hurricane Milton nears, with Tampa Bay bracing for a potentially catastrophic, once-in-a-lifetime, direct impact. This morning, the region experienced steady rain and strong wind gusts, yet some residents opted to stay despite the dangers.
To facilitate evacuations, highway tolls have been waived, allowing residents to reach safe areas and shelters in affected counties. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned that road conditions are expected to deteriorate throughout the day. While the state does not face an overall fuel shortage, some individual gas stations have already run out of fuel.
Milton has fluctuated between categories 4 and 5 as it approaches, with the National Hurricane Center predicting it will make landfall late Wednesday or early Thursday as a major and extremely dangerous storm. Residents should prepare for power outages and damage from fallen trees and debris as the storm draws closer. Safety remains a top priority for officials as the situation unfolds
