Highways out of Florida are backed up for miles as panicked residents attempt to flee the state before Hurricane Milton’s landfall later this week.
Hurricane Milton stands at a Category 5, the highest rating on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. It is expected to have winds stronger than 157 miles per hour.
In Hillsborough County, home to nearly 1.5 million people in the Tampa Bay Area, residents are scrambling as local leadership orders the evacuation of zones A and B — essentially anyone living immediately on the coast or just outside.
“We’ve ordered evacuations for zones A & B for a very good reason,” Hillsborough County Fire Chief Jason Dougherty said during a press briefing in Tampa as reported by the Florida Phoenix.
“If you remain there, you could die. My men and women could die trying to rescue you. They are heroes, but please do not put them in that situation. Help them by leaving zones A & B today.”
After the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene, many are heeding these warnings and leaving as soon as they can. I-75 and I-275 northbound leading out of the Tampa Bay Area have both faced near standstill traffic all day, according to a video shared by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
Supermarket shelves around Tampa Bay are barren as panicked evacuees grab what they can before hitting the road. Some have even taken to X to share intel about stocked stores nearby. Other businesses are offering protections against floods like offering complementary sandbags with purchases.
Gas stations across the state are experiencing fuel shortages, too, making it even more difficult to escape. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the state has deployed a quarter-million gallons of gas to help shore up supply, with 315,000 more gallons en route as of Monday, according to WINK.
The city of Tampa is doing what it can to protect and support its community, offering free parking in garages with at least three floors to keep cars safe from flooding. The National Guard has been called in advance, with Tropicana Field usually home to the MLB’s Tampa Bay Rays being converted into a shelter for the soldiers.
Following Hurricane Helene’s landfall, which killed 14 people across four Tampa Bay area counties, local officials and leaders are making sure every resident knows just how bad — and how deadly — the Category 5 storm will be.
“It’s going to be a surge event. It’s going to be a rain event,” Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said during a press briefing.
“It’s going to be a wind event, and, if it stays on the predicted trajectory, we are in for over a century’s storm here with Milton. This is the real deal here with Milton.”
Even those outside of the Tampa Bay Area are considering fleeing as businesses start to close ahead of the hurricane.
“we’re technically in a “non-evac” zone but we’re thinking of leaving due to surge anyway… not sure what to do here – hoping i dont lose my job if i do evac,” one X user posted.
“For decades they have talked about a major hurricane hitting Tampa Bay the right way and how catastrophic it could be. This storm is shaping up this way. This storm is something that should make people seriously heed whatever warnings come out,” another user added.
Hurricane Milton is expected to cut through Florida starting Wednesday or early Thursday.