Some Florida ports shuttered Tuesday ahead of Hurricane Milton, which is expected to continue growing in size before making landfall as a powerful, life-threatening storm.
Category 4 Hurricane Milton is expected to hit west-central Florida Wednesday night, the National Hurricane Center said. The storm is forecast to double in size ahead of landfall but weaken.
Milton on Tuesday was downgraded from a Category 5 to a Category 4 storm, but the Air Force hurricane hunters found the storm’s intensity had rebounded, according to the hurricane center. Wind speeds were clocked at 150 mph.
Rainfall totals across Florida will be 5 to 12 inches with some parts seeing 18 inches, the hurricane center predicted. The amount of rain dumped onto Florida will cause life-threatening floods and moderate to major river flooding.
Tornadoes are possible over central and southern Florida beginning Tuesday night.
“Milton has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida,” the hurricane center said.
The National Weather Service in Tampa called the storm “an extremely life-threatening situation,” echoing similar dire warnings from officials, including Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, who warned residents on CNN they are “going to die” if they ignore evacuation warnings.
Tropical storm conditions are possible along the Georgia and South Carolina coasts on Thursday, the hurricane center reported.
Ports in Tampa Bay, Manatee, Key West, Fort Myers and St. Petersburg were closed Tuesday, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. Ports in Fort Pierce, Miami, Canaveral, Fernandina, Jacksonville and Panama City were open with restrictions.
The storm was already impacting freight markets on Tuesday. Shippers and carriers were avoiding Lakeland.
President Joe Biden on Monday approved an emergency declaration for Florida, which will allow assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The Florida Department of Transportation temporarily waived some requirements for heavy-duty trucks. Interstate lane closures and construction projects in the projected path of Milton were suspended.
Alix Miller, president and CEO of the Florida Trucking Association, said Florida’s hurricane plans and preparation were well practiced due to the number of storms the state weathers.
“There is an infrastructure built within the state through emergency operations that everyone has a role, has responsibilities, has information, and there’s all these systems in place,” she told FreightWaves by phone. “You just kind of pull the trigger and this whole infrastructure goes into place.”
Miller said Florida truck drivers will park their vehicles when it is no longer safe to drive. She praised the industry’s nimble reaction to disasters and said drivers will find safe detours to continue providing needed commodities. The highest priority is the safety of drivers, she said.
Milton is arriving on the heels of Hurricane Helene, which made landfall in Florida on Sept. 27 and wreaked havoc in North Carolina, which is still recovering from the devastation. FEMA said during a call with reporters on Monday that Helene operations would not impact its response to Milton.
Helene’s debris will cause a challenge in this hurricane, as cleanup was not yet complete, Miller said. The destruction paired with lingering power outages and need for clean water means there will be an increased need for supplies after Milton makes landfall, she said.
The American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN) began mobilizing for Milton on Monday. The nonprofit, which provides assistance to disaster relief nonprofits by coordinating aid requests, will share logistics needs on its website.
“All signs point to Hurricane Milton being an extremely destructive and dangerous event for the west coast of Florida, including many parts that are still struggling with rescue and recovery efforts from Hurricanes Helene and Debby,” said Executive Director Kathy Fulton. “As a result, ALAN is consolidating its resources for preparedness and response efforts – and calling upon its network to help.”
Almost 800 flights were delayed in the United States on Tuesday, and nearly 700 were canceled, according to Flight Aware.
Tampa International Airport, Punta Gorda Airport, Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport and St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport suspended operations Tuesday. Orlando International Airport will suspend operations beginning Wednesday.
Cargo operations were also halted as Milton approached.