Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has given another press conference in the wake of the incoming Hurricane Milton.
Communities in Florida are being urged to brace for the potential arrival of a Category 3 hurricane, just days after Hurricane Helene ravaged the state, causing widespread devastation.
Helene, which made landfall on September 26 in Florida’s Big Bend as a Category 4 storm, left a trail of destruction spanning 500 miles, killing at least 20 people, leaving thousands without power, and causing catastrophic flooding and wind damage.
As Florida continues to clear debris and recover from Helene’s impact, it now faces a new threat: Tropical Storm Milton. Strengthening overnight, Milton currently has sustained winds of 60 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center’s Sunday morning update.
At the time of the update, Milton was positioned 860 miles from Tampa in the Gulf of Mexico and is forecasted to become a hurricane by Sunday night, intensifying into a major hurricane by Tuesday.
“Steady to rapid strengthening is forecast during the next few days. Milton is forecast to become a hurricane later today, and it could become a major hurricane while it moves across the central and eastern Gulf of Mexico,” the NHC stated.
Milton is expected to make landfall on Wednesday somewhere between Cedar Key and Naples, which includes the entire Tampa Bay area. Projections indicate that Milton could hit at Category 3 strength, with winds of up to 120 mph.
Hurricane and storm surge watches are likely to be issued for parts of Florida’s western coast on Sunday, with storm surge dangers expected in areas already hard-hit by Helene.
“Regardless of the details, there is increasing confidence that a powerful hurricane with life-threatening hazards will be affecting portions of the Florida west coast,” the NHC warned. The agency also noted that rainfall would begin affecting parts of Florida on Sunday and Monday.
Miami, Orlando, and Tampa are forecasted to receive between four to eight inches of rain through Thursday. This rainfall amounts to an entire month’s worth for Miami, two months’ worth for Orlando, and three months’ worth for Tampa. Some interior areas of the state could see totals exceeding 10 inches.
Milton, the 13th named storm of the season, formed in the western Gulf on Saturday morning, mere hours after being classified as a tropical depression. It’s also weeks ahead of schedule, as similar storms typically don’t form until around October 25.
With low vertical wind shear and extremely warm sea-surface temperatures, Milton is expected to rapidly strengthen in the coming days.
In anticipation of Milton’s impact, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 35 counties on Saturday. His office warned that the storm could hinder ongoing recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene and further affect Gulf Coast communities still recovering from the previous storm.
“As many continue to recover from Hurricane Helene, I have directed the Florida Division of Emergency Management and the Florida Department of Transportation to coordinate all available personnel and resources to supplement local communities as they expedite debris removal in impacted areas,” DeSantis said in a social media post.
“We will continue staging state assets to prepare for efficient search and rescue, power restoration, and roadway clearing.”
This Sunday morning, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis spoke about Milton once again.
The governor, Ron DeSantis, was joined by Kevin Guthrie, the Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, as they addressed the growing threat posed by Tropical Storm Milton.
DeSantis cautioned Floridians about the possibility of “potentially greater power outages” compared to what was experienced with Hurricane Helene. “That’s just the reality of what we’re dealing with,” he said, underscoring the severity of the impending storm.
Efforts to clear debris are ongoing throughout the Tampa Bay area, focusing on removing storm debris, including sand, in preparation for Milton’s arrival. “All assets that can help with debris removal are being marshaled to help with debris,” DeSantis stated, emphasizing the proactive steps being taken per WFLA.
DeSantis also mentioned that all assets deployed to assist North Carolina following Hurricane Helene are now being redirected back to Florida to aid in storm preparations for Milton.
Kevin Guthrie urged residents to complete their storm preparations as soon as possible, encouraging them to restock essential supplies such as food, water, batteries, and other necessities to last at least seven days. “We are preparing for the largest evacuation since Hurricane Ian,” Guthrie added, signaling the gravity of the situation.
Over the weekend, DeSantis issued a state of emergency for 51 counties across Florida. He also issued an executive order for those evacuating, ensuring that residents will be able to return to their homes as soon as it is safe to do so.
The Orlando Sentinel shared some quotes from the conference when it comes to power outages:
“That is just something that I think people should prepare for. We already have a lot of crews coming into the state of Florida. They’re going to be staged in different parts of the state of Florida, and they are going to be going as soon as the storm passes. But this is something that potentially would be greater power outages than what we just saw with Hurricane Helene,” he said. “So Floridians should just be prepared for that. Know if you’re anywhere near that cone, certainly, you should prepare to have power interruptions, that’s just the reality of what we’re dealing with.”
He urged people to prepare.
“Put your hurricane preparedness plan in place, make sure your gas tanks are filled. Make sure you have enough water and nonperishable food to last you as long as the power may be out, clear up loose objects in your yard. Obviously, the big debris piles, you need that to get hauled away. But anything other than that that isn’t debris,” he said.
He said to expect both voluntary and mandatory evacuations, especially on the barrier islands, which just saw deadly storm surge because of Hurricane Helene.
“If you’re on that West Coast of Florida and barrier islands, just assume that you likely are going to be called upon to evacuate,” he said. “I think, any type of storm that has been dealt with, certainly in recent years, when these storms hit the areas that are on kind of the dirty side of the storm, they’re going to get more storm surge.”
What Does This Mean for Walt Disney World and Universal?
While we don’t have any park closure updates just yet, we have a good outline of what will happen based off of the closures of Hurricane Helene.
As part of their storm preparations, Florida’s theme parks have begun adjusting their operations. At Walt Disney World, most activities remain unchanged, though Typhoon Lagoon, the water park, has closed for the day—an expected decision given the storm.
Disney is known to temporarily close the park for sudden weather changes, including cold fronts, and with severe weather looming, the water park would be largely unusable for guests.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party was also canceled in advance. This was a strategic decision, as Disney allows guests to reschedule to another date, regardless of a price difference, if bad weather impacts the event. Given the heavy rainfall forecasted from Hurricane Helene, this preemptive cancellation spared guests from having to line up at City Hall in the rain to request new dates.
In addition to these changes, Disney closed its mini-golf courses as a precaution.
At Universal Orlando Resort, similar actions were taken. Volcano Bay, Universal’s water park, closed down, and Halloween Horror Nights was canceled on the evening of Helene’s arrival.
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay also followed suit, shutting down for the day.
With Hurricane Milton expected to arrive on Sunday, we can anticipate the parks making similar operational decisions. If the storm intensifies, there’s a possibility that full park closures could be implemented.
In preparation for Milton, Walt Disney World has temporarily paused hotel reservations for October 9th and 10th. While no official announcement has been made, the suspension suggests Disney is preparing for potential evacuations, potentially reserving rooms for cast members.
Known as the ride-out crew, these cast members stay at the resorts to help maintain operations during emergencies.
During past hurricanes, Disney has offered additional services for guests staying at its resorts, including entertainment and activities for children. These proactive measures are designed to ensure a seamless guest experience, even under challenging weather conditions.
Will you be in Orlando this week?