Hurricanes (weather)

Sandbags, traffic, boarded-up windows: Photos show Florida bracing for Hurricane Milton

Milton is expected to make landfall in Florida late Wednesday as a powerful Category 3 hurricane.

USA TODAY

Oct. 8, 2024, 3:24 p.m. ET

The intensity of Hurricane Milton has been closely monitored throughout the Sunshine State and around the U.S. this week as it quickly strengthened from Category 2 to Category 5 on Monday before weakening slightly.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Milton remains an extremely powerful Category 4 storm barreling toward central Florida, where it is expected to make landfall late Wednesday.

“Milton has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida," John Cangialosi, a specialist with the National Hurricane Center, warned in an update Tuesday. Damaging winds, life-threatening storm surges and heavy rainfall will extend well outside the forecast cone, he said.

Gov. Ron DeSantis extended similar warnings, telling residents that “time is running out” before landfall, likely as a Category 3 hurricane.

"There's no guarantee what the weather's going to be like starting Wednesday morning," DeSantis said at a briefing Tuesday. "You may have a window where it may be safe, but you may not. So use today as your day to finalize and execute the plan that is going to protect you and your family."

Photos: Floridians prepare for Hurricane Milton

Floridians on the path of the hurricane are readying for Milton’s effects, while others are fleeing to safer areas in the north of the state.

Highways were seen backed-up and preparations were underway at sites like Tropicana Field as Milton makes its way to the Sunshine State.

Cape Coral resident Alex Sibbald places supplies into his vehicle while readying for potential impact of Hurricane Milton later this week. Cape Coral residents were busy Monday, October 7, 2024, as they visited the Home Depot near the intersection of Skyline Blvd. and Veterans Parkway to gather storm supplies.

Motorist make their way North on I-75 Monday afternoon, October 7, 2024 as some were evacuating from South Florida because of Hurricane Milton which is expected to make landfall on Wednesday near the Tampa Bay area. Residents of Marion County were preparing for Hurricane Milton Monday afternoon, at local supply stores like Home Depot and people were grabbing their 10 bags of sand at locations throughout the city and county.

The 7-11 convenience store at Suntree Blvd. and Wickham Road is open but already boarded up in preparation for Hurricane Milton Monday, October 7, 2024.

Dozens of people fill up sandbags at Donna Fiala Eagle Lakes Community Park in Naples as Hurricane Milton approaches the state on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024.

Traffic on northbound I-75 through Sarasota was heavy Monday afternoon as Florida residents prepare for the expected arrival of Hurricane Milton.

A light rain falls on a water retention pond and canal along Veterans Memorial Parkway across from Lyngate Park as water level along the road begin to fill ahead of Hurricane Milton on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, in Port St. Lucie.

Sarah Elliott (right), of Knoxville, Tenn., watches as the tide rises at Conn Beach, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, in Vero Beach, ahead of Hurricane Milton. Elliott, along with her boyfriend Athanasios Bayiates and his brother Jay Bowen (left), of Fair Haven, Vt., are in town visiting family.

Scenes from Fort Myers Beach as Hurricane Milton approaches on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island are under mandatory evacuation orders.

Cape Coral residents were busy Monday, October 7, 2024, as they made arrangements and gathered supplies in preparation for the potential impact of Hurricane Milton later this week.

Courtney Pournaras and her stepfather, Allan Hahn, are pictured filling sandbags in anticipation of Hurricane Milton.

Jeanmax Simon, of Port St. Lucie, secures his home on SW College Park Road with metal shutters during the light morning rain on Tuesday, Pct. 8, 2024, in preparation of the tropical storm force winds expected when Hurricane Milton crosses the state on Thursday.

Downtown Fort Myers businesses were preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Milton on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024.

Thick clouds hover above the Royal Park Bridge and downtown West Palm Beach as hurricane Milton progresses through the gulf toward our area, on October 8, 2024.

Power crews from Haugland Energy stage in the parking lot next to the Terrace Hotel as they prepare for Hurricane Milton on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, in Lakeland Fl.
Ernst Peters/The Ledger

Chief Mechanic Robert Samples carefully stands on the ladder while drilling wood pallets to the Quality Inn's window to prepare for Hurricane Milton on Tuesday, Oct.8, 2024.

Hurricane Milton Tracker

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected] and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.

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