SUMMARY: South Florida is facing relentless rain as residents prepare for Hurricane Milton, now classified as a dangerous Category 4 storm with winds peaking at 155 mph. Millions along Florida’s west coast are bracing for potential catastrophic damage, particularly in Tampa and surrounding areas. Governor Ron DeSantis urges residents to finalize their emergency plans. While Milton is expected to weaken, the aftermath of Hurricane Helen still lingers with debris and flooding concerns complicating recovery efforts. The entire state is under some form of tropical storm watch. Local schools have closed, and residents are scrambling for sandbags to protect their homes.

In today’s Quickcast:

Hurricane Milton barreled across the Gulf of Mexico’s warm waters Tuesday on a path for the west coast of Florida, where mass evacuations clogged highways as people prepared for a potentially historic storm to make landfall as early as Wednesday night. Some communities, like those in and around the Tampa Bay area, were still reeling from the impacts of Hurricane Helene less than two weeks ago.

“While fluctuations in intensity are expected, Milton is forecast to remain an extremely dangerous hurricane through landfall in Florida,” the National Hurricane Center said. Meanwhile, the National Weather Service in Tampa Bay described Milton as “a historic storm for the west coast of Florida” that could prove to be the worst storm to impact Tampa Bay in more than 100 years.

Floridians in the potential path of the hurricane lined properties with sandbags, boarded up doors and windows, and moved their boats ahead of the storm’s arrival. Gov. Ron DeSantis issued emergency orders over the weekend that now include 51 counties, whose residents, he said, should prepare for power outages, stock up on enough food and water to last a week and be ready to leave their homes if necessary.

Catch the Quickcast with Najahe Sherman weekdays at 4PM ET streaming on the CBS Miami app and CBSMiami.com
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SUMMARY: President Joe Biden praised Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for his preparation efforts ahead of Hurricane Milton, which may strike the Tampa Bay area as a Category 3 storm. Biden commended DeSantis for his cooperation and offered his personal phone number for communication. Despite political tensions, with Vice President Harris criticizing DeSantis for his actions, the federal government has confirmed over $137 million in assistance following recent hurricanes. DeSantis urged residents to remain hopeful amid the challenges, emphasizing community resilience as the state braces for significant storm surge impacts. The situation remains critical as recovery efforts continue.

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SUMMARY: Hurricane Milton is expected to bring record storm surge flooding to Florida’s Tampa Bay area, with forecasts predicting up to 15 feet of surge. Governor Ron DeSantis reported ongoing debris cleanup from Hurricane Helene, with crews working tirelessly until safety permits. The state has mobilized resources, including 268,000 gallons of diesel and 110,000 gallons of gas, to alleviate fuel shortages as over 3 million residents evacuate. DeSantis has activated 8,000 National Guardsmen and staged 34 search and rescue aircraft, while urging evacuees to keep roads clear for emergency vehicles. Milton, currently a Category 4 storm, threatens significant damage.

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