Watch: Florida residents evacuate as Hurricane Milton heads for US (original) (raw)

Watch as Florida braced for Hurricane Milton on Tuesday (8 October) as the Category 4 monster storm headed for the US.

The potential “once in a lifetime” storm rapidly intensified from a Category 1 to a Category 5 hurricane on Monday with sustained winds surpassing 180mph, before slowing to Category 4 on Tuesday.

The National Hurricane Center has warned that Milton may regain strength and grow in size, posing “even more danger” as it is expected to make landfall in Florida by Wednesday evening, slamming into the densely populated Tampa Bay.

K-12 schools across 43 of Florida’s 46 counties are set to close on Wednesday, while Orlando International Airport, will halt commercial passenger flights from 8am ET on Wednesday.

“The airport, in collaboration with federal and airline partners, agreed to cease commercial operations to prevent aircraft from operating under unsafe weather conditions for landings and take-offs,” MCO said in a statement.

US companies hit pause on Florida ops as Hurricane Milton approaches

(Reuters) -Airlines, energy firms and a Universal Studios theme park were among the companies beginning to halt their Florida operations as they braced for disruptions with Hurricane Milton set to make landfall on Wednesday. The hurricane has rapidly intensified into one of the area's most powerful on record, threatening a stretch of Florida's densely populated west coast that is still reeling from the devastating Hurricane Helene less than two weeks ago. Southwest, one of the largest U.S. airlines, said it was adjusting its schedule at several airports that were pausing operations, including Tampa International Airport and Orlando International Airport.

Backed-Up Traffic Crawls Along Florida Highway as Locals Flee Milton

Locals continued to evacuate Tampa, Florida, on Tuesday, October 8, ahead of Hurricane Milton’s expected arrival.This footage filmed by Brian K Gagermeier shows heavy traffic on Interstate 4, slowly heading east out of Tampa, as some drivers pass on the shoulder.According to local news reports, nine counties in Florida have been issued mandatory evacuations ahead of Milton, which is expected to make landfall on the western coast of Florida on Wednesday evening.The National Hurricane Center said that there will likely not be enough time to evacuate on Wednesday. Credit: Brian K. Gagermeier via Storyful

Florida braces for direct hit from Hurricane Milton

Floridians are preparing for what is expected to be the first major hurricane to directly hit the Tampa area in more than a century. Hurricane Milton, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), is expected to make landfall on the west coast of Florida late Wednesday evening. The storm is predicted to be a Category…

What time could Hurricane Milton make landfall?

Hurricane Milton is currently predicted to make landfall on Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. in Florida with wind gusts raging at over 100 mph according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). Originally forecasters predicted the storm would be a category 3 but has intensified to a category 5, the strongest designation on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind…

FEMA has resources to respond to Hurricane Milton, Mayorkas says

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said late Monday the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has the necessary resources to respond effectively to Hurricane Milton, which is expected to make landfall in Florida late Wednesday. “Yes, it does, quite clearly,” Mayorkas told MSNBC’s Jen Psaki, when asked whether FEMA has what it needs to respond to…

Evacuee Traffic From Tampa Bay Crawls Along Interstate 75

Residents continued to evacuate out of Tampa Bay on Tuesday, October 8, ahead of Hurricane Milton’s expected arrival.Footage captured by the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) shows traffic slowly moving along the northbound route of interstate 75 as residents continue to evacuate Tampa Bay, Florida, on Tuesday. “Complete your storm prep NOW!” urged the FHP.According to local news reports, nine counties in Florida have been issued mandatory evacuations ahead of Milton, which is expected to make landfall off the western coast of Florida on Wednesday evening.The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that there will likely not be enough time to evacuate on Wednesday. Credit: Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) via Storyful

Tom Tugendhat knocked out of Tory leadership race

Tom Tugendhat has been knocked out of the Tory leadership race, with James Cleverly coming out on top as the list of candidates is narrowed down. Cleverly received 39 of the 120 votes, followed by Kemi Badenoch on 30, former front-runner Robert Jenrick on 31, and Tom Tugendhat on 20.

Florida Airports Ready for Milton Shutdown

Hurricane curtains were installed at Daytona Beach International Airport in Florida on Tuesday, October 8, ahead of Hurricane Milton’s expected landfall late on Wednesday.Footage released by the airport shows the installation of thick, resin-coated fabric to protect glass fronts at the airport.The airport said on Facebook that it would be closed from 10 am on Wednesday ahead of Hurricane Milton.Other airports due to cease operations included those in Tampa, Orlando, Lakeland, Sarasota, and St Pete-Clearwater. Credit: Daytona Beach International Airport via Storyful

'Extremely Dangerous' Hurricane Milton Churns Near Yucatan Peninsula

Hurricane Milton was downgraded from a Category 5 to a Category 4 hurricane on the morning of Tuesday, October 8, as it traveled north of the Yucatan Peninsula, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).Satellite imagery released by the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere at Colorado State University showed the hurricane churning across the Gulf of Mexico from Monday afternoon into Tuesday.Damaging hurricane-force winds and life-threatening storm surge were forecast for portions of the northern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula on Tuesday, according to the NHC.Milton was expected to grow in size and remain an “extremely dangerous hurricane” when it approached the coast of Florida on Wednesday, the NHC said. Credit: CSU/CIRA & NOAA via Storyful

Tom Tugendhat knocked out of Tory leadership race - as James Cleverly tops latest vote

Tom Tugendhat has been knocked out of the Tory leadership race after receiving the least votes from MPs. It narrows the field down to three, with James Cleverly, Kemi Badenoch, and Robert Jenrick still in the running to replace Rishi Sunak. Mr Cleverly overtook Mr Jenrick to come out on top with 39 of his colleagues backing him in today's vote.

Hurricane Milton travel impacts: Airport closures and more

Hurricane Milton is already causing travel disruptions as the storm takes aim at Florida's west coast. Evacuation orders have been issued in counties along Florida’s west coast, including in Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, Hernando, Hillsborough, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas and Volusia. Tampa International Airport will suspend operations beginning at 9 a.m. on Tuesday and remain closed to the public "until it can assess any damage after the storm," airport officials said.

Kamala Harris reveals the three words she said to Joe Biden when he passed the torch on 2024 election

Kamala Harris has revealed the first three words she said to Joe Biden when he told her he was stepping aside in the 2024 election race. The vice president appeared on The View on Tuesday (8 October) for her first live interview and first talk show appearance since accepting the Democratic nomination for president. The vice president said: “The first thing I asked him is, 'Are you sure?' Because what a big decision."

Hurricane Milton forces Bucs and Lightning to leave Florida early and other teams to alter games

The NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers and NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning have left Florida ahead of Hurricane Milton to practice the rest of the week. The Bucs departed Tuesday, relocating to New Orleans, where they'll face the Saints on Sunday. The Lightning left for Raleigh, North Carolina, on Monday night to continue preparations for their season opener against the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday night.