The National Weather Service has issued a statement advising residents in Milton to shelter-in-place as Hurricane Milton, now a Category 3 storm with winds of 125 miles per hour, approaches Florida. The time for safe evacuation has passed, and individuals are urged to stay indoors and follow updates unless faced with a life-threatening situation.
As of the latest update from the National Hurricane Center, Milton is located 130 miles from Fort Myers and 150 miles from Tampa. The storm continues to bring heavy rain, strong winds, and a significant tornado outbreak to the region. Additionally, storm surge of nearly 3 feet is impacting areas like Naples, Florida, despite being near low tide.
The wind field of Hurricane Milton is expanding, with tropical storm-force winds now extending 250 miles from its center, particularly on the northern side. This increase in wind field size could result in damaging winds across much of the Florida Peninsula before and after landfall.
Florida Highway Patrol has announced the closure of several bridges in the Tampa Bay area, including the Skyway Bridge, the Howard Frankland Bridge, and the westbound lanes of the Gandy Bridge and Courtney Campbell.
Amid the storm's impact, authorities are warning residents to beware of potential scams and price gouging. The Federal Trade Commission, Department of Justice, and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have issued a notice cautioning consumers about fraudulent activities during natural disasters. They emphasized that FEMA does not charge fees for disaster relief and encouraged individuals to report any scams to the FTC.
