Florida Keys under tropical storm watch – NBC 6 South Florida

Milton strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane early Monday morning with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph (161 km/h).

The storm was located about 195 miles west-northwest of Progreso, Mexico, and 750 miles west-southwest of Tampa, Florida, the hurricane center said in a 5 a.m. bulletin.

Florida is preparing for what could be its largest evacuation in seven years as Hurricane Milton strengthens over warm waters and heads toward major population centers like Tampa and Orlando.

WARNINGS AND NOTICES

• A hurricane warning is in effect for the coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula from Celestun to Rio Lagartos.
• A hurricane warning is now in effect for Florida’s Gulf Coast from Chokoloskee north to the mouth of the Suwanee River, including Tampa Bay and Dry Tortuga
• A storm surge warning has been issued for Florida’s Gulf Coast from Flamingo north to the Suwannee River, including Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay.
• A tropical storm warning has also been issued for the Lower, Middle and Upper Florida Keys, including Florida Bay

About 7 million people were ordered to evacuate Florida in 2017 as Hurricane Irma hit the state. The exodus clogged highways, led to hours-long lines at gas stations that still had fuel, and left evacuees frustrated and, in some cases, vowing never to evacuate again.

Hurricane Milton was moving “erratically eastward through the southern Gulf of Mexico” early Monday morning and was likely to strengthen into a major hurricane later in the day, the National Hurricane Center reported.

The storm was centered approximately 220 miles (354 kilometers) west-northwest of Progreso, Mexico, and 770 miles (1,239 kilometers) west-southwest of Tampa, with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph (144 km/h) while moving at a speed of 6 mph ( The hurricane center said the hurricane was moving east at 6 mph (9.6 km/h).

Although forecast models vary widely, the most likely path suggests Milton could make landfall in the Tampa Bay area on Wednesday and remain a hurricane, moving over central Florida and into the Atlantic Ocean. That would largely spare other Southeastern states hit by Hurricane Helene, which caused catastrophic damage from Florida to the Appalachians and pushed the death toll to at least 230 people on Sunday.

Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, the Florida Peninsula, the Florida Keys and the northwestern Bahamas should monitor the system’s progress, the hurricane center said. Heavy rains were expected on Sunday ahead of the hurricane, which would then likely be combined with rains from Milton to flood waterways and roads in Florida, where forecasters said up to 30 centimeters of rain could fall in places by Wednesday night.

Building on lessons learned from Irma and other previous storms, Florida is providing emergency fuel for gas vehicles and charging stations for electric vehicles along evacuation routes, Kevin Guthrie, executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said at a briefing Sunday.

“We are looking at any potential, possible location where someone can potentially be housed as a sanctuary of last resort,” Guthrie added.

Hurricane Milton is rapidly intensifying and will likely become a major hurricane before hitting the storm-ravaged Gulf Coast by midweek.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Sunday that while it remains to be seen where Milton will strike, it is clear the state will be hit hard.

“I don’t think there’s a scenario where we don’t have a major impact at this point,” he said.

“You have time to prepare — all day today, all day Monday, probably all day Tuesday to make sure your hurricane preparedness plan is implemented,” DeSantis said. “If you are on the barrier islands on the west coast of Florida, just assume you will be asked to leave the country.”

With Milton reaching hurricane status, this is the first time since September that the Atlantic has experienced three simultaneous hurricanes, according to hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach of Colorado State University. There were four simultaneous hurricanes in August and September.

The St. Petersburg-Tampa Bay region is still repairing extensive damage from Helene and its powerful storm surge. Twelve people died when Helene flooded the coast. The worst damage occurred along the narrow, 20-mile (32-kilometer) series of barrier islands stretching from St. Petersburg to Clearwater.

DeSantis expanded his emergency declaration to 51 counties on Sunday, saying Floridians should prepare for more power outages and disruptions and make sure they have a week’s worth of food and water and are ready to hit the streets.

“We are preparing for the largest evacuation we have ever seen, most likely since 2017, Hurricane Irma,” Guthrie said.

People who live in homes built after Florida tightened regulations in 2004, who do not rely on constant power and who are not in evacuation zones should probably avoid the streets, Guthrie said.

All classes and school activities in Pinellas County in St. Petersburg were closed Monday through Wednesday as a precautionary measure as Milton approached. Officials in Tampa opened all city garages for free to residents in hopes of protecting their cars, including electric vehicles, from flooding. Vehicles must be parked in any garage on the third floor or higher.

Up to 4,000 National Guard troops are helping state crews clear debris, DeSantis said, directing Florida crews deployed to North Carolina in Helene’s aftermath to return to Milton to prepare.

“All available state resources … will be mobilized to assist with debris removal,” DeSantis said. “We’re on duty 24/7… it’s all hands on deck.”

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell defended her agency’s response to the hurricane’s destruction after Republicans’ false claims, amplified by former President Donald Trump, created a flood of misinformation in devastated communities.

“This kind of rhetoric is not helpful to people and it’s really a disgrace that we’re prioritizing politics over helping people,” Criswell told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos. It has created fear and distrust among residents of the thousands of FEMA workers and volunteers on the ground in the Southeast, she said.

Still, Criswell said the agency is already preparing for Milton long before it’s clear where the storm will move across the Florida peninsula this week.

“We’re working with the state there to understand what requirements they’re going to have so we can implement those before they land,” she said.

Federal disaster assistance has exceeded $137 million since the Helene attack more than a week ago, one of the largest mobilizations of personnel and resources in recent history, FEMA said Sunday.

Approximately 1,500 active-duty soldiers, more than 6,100 National Guardsmen and nearly 7,000 federal employees were deployed to transport more than 14.9 million meals, 13.9 million liters (3.6 million gallons) of water, 157 generators and 505,000 tarps and More than $30 million was provided for housing and other types of assistance to over 27,000 households, according to FEMA, the White House and the Department of Defense.

More than 800 people unable to return home remain in FEMA-provided shelters and 22 emergency shelters are still housing nearly 1,000 people, while mobile feeding operations continue to help survivors. The response to Helene will not slow down during Milton and its aftermath because of FEMA’s ability to handle multiple disasters simultaneously, the agency said.

“My administration is sparing no resources to support families on their road to recovery,” Biden said. “We will continue to work hand in hand with local and state leaders – regardless of political party and no matter how long it takes.”