Hurricane Milton is barreling toward Florida’s west coast, dumping rain and whipping up high winds as millions of residents have been ordered to evacuate.
Here’s the latest updates on the storm.
Track Hurricane Milton’s path on the radar below.
Major flooding, roaring winds in western Florida as Milton moves in
Hurricane Milton, a Category 3 storm, is churning toward Florida’s west coast. The Tampa Bay area, home to more than 3.3 million people, is facing the possibility of widespread destruction after avoiding direct hits from major hurricanes for more than a century.
Major flooding is now occurring in Naples as Hurricane Milton’s storm surge causes water levels to rise to 3.7 feet above normally dry ground, according to CNN.
It’s set to make landfall near Sarasota, on the west coast of Florida, south of the Tampa Bay area, according to CBS News, around 8 p.m. with 90 mph wind gusts.
The National Hurricane Center says the main path of the storm could see destructive surges with “inundations of 10 (feet) or greater.”
Hurricane Milton is downgraded to Category 3 but still a grave threat to Florida
Milton was downgraded to a Category 3 hurricane Wednesday but remained a major storm and a grave threat as it closed in on Florida’s west coast, where officials sounded urgent warnings for residents to flee inland or face grim odds of surviving the storm’s surge.
Steady rain fell and winds gusted as Milton drew closer to the Tampa Bay region, which is home to more than 3.3 million people and hasn’t seen a direct hit from a major hurricane in more than a century.
In the eye of the storm: What’s it like to fly into a hurricane
While Florida officials are urging those in Hurricane Milton’s path to evacuate or face grim odds of survival, The Associated Press reported, an Air Force Reserve unit known as the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron ascended into the eye of the storm Wednesday.
It was piloted by Capt. Nate Wordal, who gathered weather data for the National Hurricane Center.
Wordal joined WTOP’s Anne Kramer and Shawn Anderson to talk about the flight.
See his flight below.
‘It’s time to go’: Residents flee as Milton barrels toward Florida
Officials are ordering mandatory evacuations in Florida, which many are heeding.
WTOP spoke with some of those people who fled from their homes.
Hurricane Milton expected to make landfall in Florida. Here’s how it can impact travel
The storm is creating a travel and lodging nightmare. Flights are canceled, hotels are full, gas stations are out of fuel — and prices for nearly everything are through the roof.
CBS Travel Editor Peter Greenberg joined WTOP’s Michelle Basch and John Aaron to examine the situation.
Read the full interview or read the transcript.
DC-area farmers send help to the horse community hit by Hurricane Helene
After seeing coverage of the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, two horsewomen in different states had the same thought: They had to help other farmers and horse owners like themselves.
Each took action, independent of each other.
In Maryland, Deana Tice, of En-Tice-Ment Stables in Harwood, figured she’d load up two 30-foot trailers with needed supplies for horses and their owners
