Hurricane Milton, a Category 4 storm with winds on the verge of becoming a Category 5, is projected to hit Florida’s west coast late this evening or early Thursday morning. Landfall is predicted to occur between Tampa and Fort Myers, with a high possibility of a direct hit on the coastal city of Sarasota. Currently, six million Floridians are under evacuation orders, and many coastal areas face a potential 15-foot storm surge.
Earlier on Wednesday, government officials ordered the closing of the bridge connecting Florida’s mainland with St. Pete Beach as weather conditions began to deteriorate. The closure, implemented by law enforcement agencies, comes amid mandatory evacuation orders for residents in the barrier islands west of St. Petersburg.
Sarasota County emergency officials have issued stern warnings to residents near water bodies, urging immediate evacuation due to the anticipated storm surge. “Storm surge likes to travel the path of least resistance,” said Sandra Tapfumaneyi, Sarasota County’s Emergency Management Chief, emphasizing the potential danger to those living near creeks and rivers.
Hospitals and health facilities across Florida’s Gulf Coast, already strained by Hurricane Helene, are evacuating patients in response to Hurricane Milton. The evacuation—termed the largest in state history—involves over 300 facilities, including nursing homes.
Meanwhile, the hunt for fuel has intensified across Florida, adding to pre-storm anxiety. Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) assured residents that additional gas supplies were en route. Additionally, National Guard units and emergency services have already been mobilized to prepare for Milton’s impact.
President Joe Biden has postponed a scheduled foreign trip to focus on federal storm response efforts. “Hurricane Milton could be one of the worst storms in a century for Florida,” Biden stated, urging residents to evacuate as advised by local officials.