Florida's preparation for Hurricane Milton, as of Oct. 8, 11:59 am
National Hurrican Center map of projected flooding from Hurrican Milton, as of 11:00 am, Oct. 8, 2024.
Office of Governor Ron DeSantis, Tuesday, October 8, 2024, 11:59 am
Tallahassee, Florida — As of 11:00 a.m. ET on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, Hurricane Milton was located about 520 miles southwest of Tampa, Florida with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph. Milton will move across the eastern Gulf of Mexico and approach the west coast of Florida through Wednesday, October 9. The center is likely to make landfall along the west coast of Florida on Wednesday night and move east northeastward across central Florida through Thursday, October 10.
Governor DeSantis issued Executive Order 24-215, amending EO 24-214 and declaring a state of emergency for 51 counties.
Hurricane Warnings:
Brevard, Charlotte, Citrus, DeSoto, Flagler, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter, Sumter and Volusia counties.
Hurricane Watches:
Clay, Collier, Duval, Glades, Hendry, Nassau and Okeechobee counties.
Tropical Storm Warnings:
Broward, Clay, Coastal Franklin, Coastal Jefferson, Coastal Wakulla, Collier, Dixie, Duval, Gilchrist, Glades, Hendry, Lafayette, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe (Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas), Nassau, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, St. Lucie, Suwannee, Taylor, Western Alachua and Western Columbia counties.
Tropical Storm Watches:
Baker, Bradford, Eastern Alachua, Eastern Columbia, Hamilton, Inland Jefferson, Madison and Union counties.
Storm Surge Warning:
Dixie/Levy County line south through Mainland Monroe; southward along the east coast of Florida to Port Canaveral.
Storm Surge Watch:
Brevard County
State Assistance Information Line 1-800-342-3557
Now open and accepting calls 24/7 with English, Spanish and Haitian-Creole speakers available at 1-800-342-3557.
Navigating Hurricane season
To learn more about navigating hurricane season, residents can visit FloridaDisaster.org/Guide.
Resources, County by County
For or a list of all 67 county emergency management contacts with updates on county resources available to you, visit FloridaDisaster.org/Counties
CITRUS COUNTY:
sheriffcitrus.org/divisions/bureau_of_support_operations/emergency_operations.php
LEVY COUNTY:
levydisaster.com/wordpress/
Florida Department of Emergency Management (FDEM)
Updates on Hurricane Milton and Recovery efforts for Hurricane Helene:
X (formerlyTwitter): x.com/FLSERT
Instagram: instagram.com/flsert/
Facebook: facebook.com/FDEM
Website: FloridaDisaster.org/Updates
State Preparedness Efforts
The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) has activated the State Emergency Operations Center to Level 1 since Tuesday, September 24, for Hurricane Helene, and is at a Level 1 for Hurricane Milton as of October 6, leading coordination efforts for the State Emergency Response Team (SERT).
To see all state preparation efforts, visit: floridadisaster.org/news-media/news/20241008/
Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs (FDVA)
Outpatient appointments at VA Clinics in the projected path are being rescheduled or converted to virtual. See www.FloridaVets.org or follow FDVA on social media for closure details.
State Veterans' Service Officers are available to take your call at (727) 319-7440 or via email at FDVA.VSO@FDVA.FL.GOV.
The VISN 8 Clinical Contact Center is operational 24/7/365 for virtual care and tele-emergency care to support Florida Veterans enrolled for VA Health Care. Call 1-877-741-3400.
Horse Owners
The Florida State Fairgrounds has opened the Bob Thomas Equestrian Center on a first come first serve basis for horse owners that are in the direct path of Hurricane Milton. To learn more and reserve a spot, visit floridastatefair.com/equestrian.
Tolls Suspended to Assist Evacuation
Tolls have been suspended on facilities in West Florida and Central Florida as well as Alligator Alley and 595 Express to help facilitate traffic flow as Floridians evacuate.
Roadway Information
FDOT encourages drivers to download the FL511 app at FL511.com/app or visit FL511.com for road/bridge closures and potential detours that may be activated. Remember to always follow the direction of local law enforcement and emergency personnel.
Transportation Modes:
Seaports
The following seaports are closed waterside: Port of Key West; Port Tampa Bay; Port St. Pete; SeaPort Manatee
The following seaports are operating waterside with restrictions to inbound vessels: Port of Fort Pierce; Port of Palm Beach; Port Everglades; PortMiami; JAXPORT; Port Canaveral
Airports
The following airports announced suspended flight operations beginning Tuesday, October 8: Tampa International Airport; Punta Gorda Airport; Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport; St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport
The following airport announced suspended flight operations beginning Wednesday, October 9: Orlando International Airport
Check directly with your airline regarding delays and cancellations.
Railroads
The following passenger rail lines announced suspended or modified service beginning Tuesday, October 8: SunRail; Amtrak
Check directly with your rail provider for scheduling information.
Transit
The following transit agencies announced suspended or modified service beginning Tuesday, October 8: HART (Hillsborough); TECO Line Streetcar; Citrus Connection (Lakeland Area); Sarasota County; Charlotte County Transit; Pinellas PSTA; GoPasco paratransit; LeeTran
Check directly with your transit provider for scheduling information.
Spaceport
Spaceport partners are making the necessary preparations in anticipation of storm impacts.
State Parks
For updates on closures, visit FloridaStateParks.org/StormUpdates. Visitors with existing camping and cabin reservations at closed parks have been notified of their reservation status.
Schools
The Florida Department of Education (DOE) is actively monitoring Hurricane Milton and is working with school districts as they finalize preparation efforts. The Department is also in close contact with districts outside of the predicted cone that will be serving as storm shelters for those evacuating. Updates on school closures can be found at FLDOE.org/storminfo.
Businesses
Updates on business closures and business resources are consistently being updated at FloridaDisaster.biz.
Due to Hurricane Milton, FloridaCommerce has postponed the One-Stop Business Resource Sites that were expected to open in Citrus, Dixie, Levy, Manatee and Pasco counties.
CareerSource Florida Career Center closures can be found on FloridaDisaster.biz.
Report Price Gouging
Anyone who suspects price gouging can report it to the Florida Attorney General’s Office by visiting MyFloridaLegal.com or calling 1(866) 9NO-SCAM. (1-866-966-7226). For more information on price gouging, access Attorney General Moody’s Scams at a Glance: Price Gouging resource at myfloridalegal.com/sites/default/files/Price+Gouging_Scams+at+a+Glance_v1a%5b1%5d.pdf.
Motel Accommodations and Other Amenities
The State of Florida is working with the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association to Waive Pet Policies for Hurricane Milton Evacuees. Lodging operators who have waived pet policies and fees are encouraged to complete DBPR’s Lodging Pet Fee Waiver Information Sheet. For a list of hotels that have waived pet policies and fees, visit myfloridalicense.com/emergency.
Scenic Stays Vacation Rentals in Northwest Florida has a 35% discount with promotion code MILTON. Go to myscenicstays.com or call 850-407-2244 to book.
Wawa stores in Florida are providing free coffee and fountain beverages to all first responders, including National Guard in Florida, in appreciation for all they are doing to support and serve our communities during hurricane response and recovery efforts.
VISIT FLORIDA Emergency Accommodation Modules on Expedia at expedia.com/florida and Priceline at priceline.com/partner/v2/florida-emergency-accommodations are available to provide real-time hotel availability and lodging resources for impacted Floridians and visitors.
Rosen Hotels & Resorts activated its Florida Resident Distress Rates for those in the 51 counties declared as under a state of emergency. Visit www2.myfloridalicense.com/emergency/
Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort has extended special offers for Evacuees and First Responders in need of accommodations in the event of an evacuation.
EVACUEES Good for stays through October 31. Book by October 29:
sandestin.com/offers-packages/you-deserve-an-escape?_ga=2.178643042.774451121.1727048034-528553798.1721404552
FIRST RESPONDERS Good for stays through December 31. Book by December 29:
sandestin.com/offers-packages/we-love-our-heroes?_ga=2.178643042.774451121.1727048034-528553798.1721404552
FloridaCommerce Private Sector Hotline (850) 815-4925
Open daily 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Inquiries may also be emailed to ESF18@em.myflorida.com.
Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) - hurricane financial resources to Floridians who may need help finding information about their financial services provider(s), including state-chartered banks and credit unions, mortgage servicers, and other financial businesses and professionals: flofr.gov/sitePages/Hurricane-Resources.htm
Early Prescription Refills
OIR, in coordination with the Florida Department of Health (DOH), sent information regarding early prescription refills permitted under Executive Order 24-215. This information was sent to the public, health insurers, managed care organizations, pharmacy benefit managers, pharmacy chains, and health care providers. Information can be found at
floir.com/newsroom/archives/item-details/2024/10/06/notice-to-industry-florida-law-reminder-for-early-prescription-refills