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Hurricane Milton weakens to Category 4 but still poses ‘serious threat' to Florida

Hurricane Milton weakened to a Category 4 by early Tuesday, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, but the storm still posed a dire threat to Florida as officials issued warnings to residents to evacuate ahead of landfall.

The Category 4 hurricane, bordering on Category 5, was expected to reach Florida's Gulf Coast between 10 p.m Wednesday and 2 a.m. Thursday, according to the latest forecasts.

“Time is running out," Gov. Ron DeSantis said on Tuesday. "But you do have time today to heed any evacuation orders and do what you need to do to protect yourself and your families.”

Milton appears headed for Tampa, where the National Hurricane Center is warning of up to 15 feet of storm surge.
At 8 a.m. ET, the storm was about 545 miles southwest of Tampa, moving at 12 mph, with sustained winds of 145 mph, making it a Category 4 storm, the second-highest rating.

Hurricane Milton won’t delay Florida voter registration deadline

Florida did not extend Monday’s deadline to register to vote in the presidential election.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said the approach of Hurricane Milton, and people’s need to prepare and in some cases evacuate, did not necessitate postponing the deadline.

Oct. 7 is the deadline set in state law for people who aren’t registered to vote to sign up. People who aren’t registered won’t be able to vote in the Nov. 5 election.

The deadline to register in person is when a county elections office closes for the day, typically 5 p.m., although Broward has extended hours for the last day. People also can register online until 11:59 p.m. Monday.

“People can register today (Monday). There’s nothing inhibiting you registering today (Monday). The storm has not hit yet,” DeSantis said Monday morning during a news briefing at the state Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee, shortly after the National Hurricane Center said Milton was a major Category 4 hurricane.

Hurricane Milton: Mass evacuations underway; some tolls suspended

Local officials along the Gulf coast have begun ordering the evacuation of what could end up being hundreds of thousands of people as Hurricane Milton, an immensely powerful Category 5 storm with 160 mph sustained winds, closes in for a catastrophic collision with Florida later in the week.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said the precise track of the storm isn’t yet known but it’s likely to hit the Florida peninsula in the Tampa Bay area or Southwest Florida late Wednesday or early Thursday morning. He said residents need to prepare now. Mandatory evacuation orders for coastal areas and low-lying areas have already been issued in Hernando, Pasco, Hillsborough, Manatee, Sarasota and Charlotte.

“All these barrier islands, all these areas that would be susceptible to this storm surge… you should assume there’s going to be some form of evacuations issued by local officials,” DeSantis told reporters during a storm briefing in Tallahassee on Monday. “You have time to be able to do this today.”

Northeast Florida counties open shelters for residents to stay safe ahead of Hurricane Milton

Counties in Northeast Florida are preparing for Hurricane Milton’s impact as the Category 5 storm aims at the Gulf Coast.

Some counties have issued mandatory or voluntary evacuation orders.

Residents should bring all items such as medications, pet supplies, food and other essentials.

COUNTY-BY-COUNTY: Northeast Florida begins preparations ahead of Hurricane Milton | School closures ahead of Hurricane Milton

Putnam County

Putnam County recommends that residents in Zones F and A evacuate because of possible flooding concerns from the high river levels.

Shelters will open Tuesday, Oct. 8 at 6 p.m.