Kim Hackett and her family drove seven hours from Venice to Miami Beach to ride out Milton. She remembers the chaos of previous hurricanes like Irma and Charley.
The National Hurricane Center says tropical storm-force winds from Hurricane Milton are just off the western coast of Florida.
Wed. 11 a.m. update: Milton continues as a very powerful hurricane, track still shifting, residents along the path should be sheltered in place.
Outgoing Senate President says "a whole new philosophy of reconstruction and resilience and resiliency in our state" will need to be discussed when lawmakers meet in March.
A storm surge as high as 12 feet is forecast for Tampa Bay and up to 15 feet for points farther south between Sarasota and Fort Myers as Hurricane Milton churns closer to the west coast of Florida.
Scientists say human-caused climate change boosted the rainfall of deadly Hurricane Helene by about 10% and intensified its winds by about 11%.
As powerful Hurricane Milton is charging closer to Florida’s Gulf Coast, officials are reiterating calls for residents to evacuate. Officials say time is running out and the odds of survival are bleak for holdouts determined to stay.
Tampa's airport sits just feet above the waters of Tampa Bay. And a significant storm surge is likely coming. "We've got to prepare our infrastructure to be more resilient for the future," said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg.
NOAA's new national climate service could be embedded in existing weather offices or become an independent division. The hope is that will allow local officials to prepare so that risks like the devastating flooding that followed Hurricane Helene can be avoided or at least lessened.
Orlando's tourism machine began grinding to a halt with at least two major theme parks and the main airport announcing closures ahead of Hurricane Milton's expected hit as a major storm in Florida.
Communities along Florida's west coast are bracing for a life-threatening storm. Many residents are taking Milton very seriously, heeding calls to evacuate to higher ground. Others are staying put.
In the wake of hurricanes that have disrupted lives for millions in the U.S., some people may wonder if extreme weather events could be somehow controlled. Scientists say hurricanes are far too powerful for that — and climate change is providing more fuel than ever for devastating storms like Helene.
