Hurricane Milton dropped to a Category 4 early Wednesday as it churns toward FloridaB次元官网网址檚 west coast. The National Hurricane Center had predicted it would likely weaken, but remain a major hurricane when it makes landfall late Wednesday or early Thursday.

The Tampa Bay area, home to more than 3.3 million people, faced the possibility of widespread destruction after avoiding direct hits from major hurricanes for more than a century.

Follow APB次元官网网址檚 coverage of tropical weather at .

HereB次元官网网址檚 the latest:

In Lee County, the public safety director says the time to evacuate has passed

In Lee County, which includes Fort Myers about 95 miles (153 kilometers) southeast of Tampa, Public Safety Director Ben Abes said Wednesday that the countyB次元官网网址檚 law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services will not respond to calls beginning later Wednesday when the weather worsens.

B次元官网网址淥ur area hospitals may also lock down, which would prevent access for B次元官网网址� ambulances,B次元官网网址� Abes said.

Abes said tropical storm force winds were coming ashore and the time to evacuate has passed.

B次元官网网址淚t is not safe to be out and it is not safe to return to your home if you have evacuated,B次元官网网址� Abes said. B次元官网网址淭he time to shelter in place is now.B次元官网网址�

Abes said the countyB次元官网网址檚 13 shelters are housing more than 6,700 people.

St. Petersburg mayor says to prepare for a long recovery after Milton hits

St. Petersburg officials warned residents Wednesday afternoon that regardless of where the storm hits, the city should prepare for extended power outages and the possible shutdown of its sewerage system.

Mayor Ken Welch said residents should brace for a long recovery.

B次元官网网址淭his is the reality of a direct hit from a powerful hurricane in our area. This is not a storm that we will recover from quickly. We have a long road ahead of us, but we will recover and we will rebuild,B次元官网网址� Welch said. B次元官网网址淏ut for the next several hours, our focus is to keep everyone safe, and we can do that.B次元官网网址�

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis lashed out at people who spread false information online

At a Wednesday briefing, DeSantis responded to a question about social media messages falsely suggesting federal emergency officials arenB次元官网网址檛 going to let residents back into their homes after Hurricane Milton strikes.

B次元官网网址淲e live in an era where if you put out crap online, you can get a lot of people to share it and you can monetize that. ThatB次元官网网址檚 just the way it is,B次元官网网址� DeSantis said.

B次元官网网址淚f youB次元官网网址檙e hearing things B次元官网网址� something thatB次元官网网址檚 just outrageous B次元官网网址� just know, in the state of Florida none of that stuff would ever fly,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淔EMA is not leading this show, we are leading this show here in the state of Florida. WeB次元官网网址檙e marshaling whatever assets are available to us, weB次元官网网址檙e leveraging that.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 not going to be anything where FEMA is ever going to be able to keep you from your home,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淏e careful about the nonsense that gets circulated, and just know that the more titillating it is, the more likely somebody is making money off it,B次元官网网址� he added. B次元官网网址淎nd they donB次元官网网址檛 really give a damn about the well-being and safety of the people that are actually in the eye of this storm, itB次元官网网址檚 all just trying to monetize what theyB次元官网网址檙e doing.B次元官网网址�

At a shelter in St. Petersburg: B次元官网网址楽leeping on the floor, thatB次元官网网址檚 the hardest part for meB次元官网网址�

Trokon Nagbe and his husband Morris Kulp evacuated their one-story home in St. Petersburg to stay at the storm shelter at Gibbs High School, where as of Wednesday morning some 1,700 people were hunkering down.

The couple didnB次元官网网址檛 have damage from Hurricane Helene, but heard Hurricane Milton will be much worse and didnB次元官网网址檛 want to chance it. They wished they knew to bring their own cots though B次元官网网址� the couple said evacuees are sleeping on the floor of the schoolB次元官网网址檚 classrooms.

B次元官网网址淪leeping on the floor, thatB次元官网网址檚 the hardest part for me,B次元官网网址� Nagbe said.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not the Hilton or the Marriott,B次元官网网址� his husband Morris Kulp added, B次元官网网址渂ut it sure is appreciated.B次元官网网址�

Pasco County officials say B次元官网网址榯his is your last chance if you need to get to a shelterB次元官网网址�

Shortly before noon Wednesday, officials in Pasco County, home to more than 500,000 people in bedroom communities for Tampa and St. Petersburg, said they were getting ready to take buses off the roads.

B次元官网网址淭his is your last chance if you need to get to a shelter,B次元官网网址� the Pasco County Public Information Office said in a written statement. B次元官网网址淎fter that, youB次元官网网址檒l need to find a way to the shelter or be prepared to ride out the storm.B次元官网网址�

The county has six shelters open for anyone in mandatory evacuation zones.

At Legoland home in Florida, officials urge people: B次元官网网址楪o now, donB次元官网网址檛 waitB次元官网网址�

Forecasted tornadoes and up to 18 inches (46 centimeters) of rain B次元官网网址� along with possible hurricane-force wind B次元官网网址� prompted officials in the stormB次元官网网址檚 path in central Florida to urge people to reach their safe places immediately.

B次元官网网址淕o now. DonB次元官网网址檛 wait. The time to be able to move around safely and make those last minute preparations is rapidly closing,B次元官网网址� Polk County Emergency Management Director Paul Womble urged residents in a public briefing Wednesday morning.

Inland from the Tampa area and south of Orlando, Polk County is home to the Legoland Florida Resort theme park, which was closed ahead of the storm.

The weather will get bad after dark and flooding may even worsen over the next couple days as rainwater finds its way to the ocean, Womble warned.

B次元官网网址淥nce youB次元官网网址檙e hunkered down, just stay put. ThereB次元官网网址檚 no reason at that point to go out there. There will be trees down, there will be power lines down, it will be dangerous to move around,B次元官网网址� Womble said.

Nearly 3,000 people already were in the countyB次元官网网址檚 19 shelters and there was still plenty of space for more, he said.

Vice President Kamala Harris warns against jacking up prices on people dealing with back-to-back hurricanes

B次元官网网址淭hose evacuating before Hurricane Milton or recovering from Hurricane Helene should not be subject to illegal price gouging or fraud B次元官网网址� at the pump, airport, or hotel counter,B次元官网网址� she said in a statement Wednesday.

Harris said the federal government is tracking allegations and B次元官网网址渨ill hold those taking advantage of the situation accountable.B次元官网网址�

President Joe Biden made a similar demand Tuesday.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 calling on the airlines and other companies to provide as much service as possible to accommodate evacuations and not to engage in price gouging, to just do it on the level,B次元官网网址� he said at the White House.

Famous Sunshine Skyway Bridge spanning the mouth of Tampa Bay closes as Milton approaches

The Florida Highway Patrol said in an email Wednesday that the Sunshine Skyway Bridge spanning the mouth of Tampa Bay is now closed to traffic as Hurricane Milton approaches.

Officials had earlier said major bridges around Tampa Bay planned to close in the afternoon.

The Skyway links Pinellas and Manatee counties and carries Interstate 275. ItB次元官网网址檚 often closed when winds from any source reach a certain threshold.

One Florida man hunkers down to test house built to withstand hurricanes

Christian Burke and his mother Patty are hunkering down in their three-story, poured concrete home overlooking the bay.

Burke said his father, a builder by trade, designed this home with a Category 5 hurricane in mind B次元官网网址� and now theyB次元官网网址檙e going to test it.

As a police vehicle drove by blaring an announcement urging residents to evacuate, Burke acknowledged staying isnB次元官网网址檛 a good idea and said heB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渘ot laughing at this storm one bitB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� he just believes the house his father built will withstand it.

National Weather service says much of the southern part of Florida is under a tornado watch

More than 12 million people in the state faced threat of tornadoes along with hail and wind, the service said.

The city of Tampa was providing real-time flooding information via its website. However, city officials said it was past time for residents to evacuate or stay home.

B次元官网网址淪tay home today. By this time, you should be either evacuated or hunkering down,B次元官网网址� the city said in a post X on Wednesday morning.

The city was still working to gather debris from Hurricane Helene in advance of MiltonB次元官网网址檚 arrival.

Hurricane Milton now expected to make landfall late Wednesday

ThatB次元官网网址檚 according to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center, which says the storm will make landfall along the center of FloridaB次元官网网址檚 west coast.

The hurricane center had previously said landfall could come late Wednesday or early Thursday.

More than half of FloridaB次元官网网址檚 school districts are closed in anticipation of Hurricane Milton

State education officials say some school buildings will be used as shelters for the storm throughout the affected region.

Among those closed is the Hillsborough County school district, where Tampa is located, which has about 224,000 students and is the nationB次元官网网址檚 seventh largest school district.

Colleges and universities also canceled classes, with some saying they would switch to remote learning later this week if theyB次元官网网址檙e able to resume classes. Some schools outside the stormB次元官网网址檚 path, including the University of Miami, planned to take precautions by shifting to remote learning through Thursday.

In a neighborhood in Punta Gorda

A couple blocks from the Peace River, Ted Gjerde worked up a sweat Wednesday morning as he prepared his home for up to 12-feet of storm surge. His house sits on a 10-foot hill but that might not be enough protection.

The retiree has spent his life dealing with water B次元官网网址� 23 years in the Navy running boilers followed by 20 years working at a nearby state water plant B次元官网网址� so he had a plan. He had piled sandbags in front of his garage and put plywood and caulk on the interior of his doors.

B次元官网网址淗opefully, that should get me to 13 or 14 feet up,B次元官网网址� he said before giving a mock, B次元官网网址淵ay.B次元官网网址�

He would spend the storm at the treatment plant, 25-feet above sea level, with his wife and their two German shepherds. His 1967 Chevy Camaro was already there.

Two weeks ago, HeleneB次元官网网址檚 surge had unexpectedly gotten to the bottom of his garage door B次元官网网址� a couple more feet and his classic car and his house would have been in trouble. Nearby homes that arenB次元官网网址檛 elevated got swamped.

B次元官网网址淲e got lucky, real lucky,B次元官网网址� Gjerde said.

Gov. DeSantis says B次元官网网址榰nfortunately there will be fatalitiesB次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址� I donB次元官网网址檛 think thereB次元官网网址檚 any way around that,B次元官网网址� he said at a Wednesday morning briefing.

Forecasters warn Milton could inflict wind and storm surge damage along the Georgia coast as it crosses Florida

Tropical storm warnings were issued as far north as Savannah, roughly 200 miles from the projected path of the hurricaneB次元官网网址檚 center.

Storm surge of 2 to 4 feet was forecast for Georgia communities including St. Simons Island, home to nearly 16,000 people, and Tybee Island, which has population of 3,100. Wind gusts of up to 45 mph could break off large tree limbs, topple shallow-rooted trees and cause scattered power outages, according to the National Weather Service.

B次元官网网址榊ou canB次元官网网址檛 just hunker down with thatB次元官网网址�

Gov. Ron DeSantis said to people choosing to remain home on barrier islands, B次元官网网址渏ust know that if you get 10 feet of storm surge, you canB次元官网网址檛 just hunker down with that.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚f youB次元官网网址檙e on the southern part of this storm, you are going to get storm surge,B次元官网网址� DeSantis said.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 churning massive amounts of water, and that water is going to come out,B次元官网网址� he added. B次元官网网址淢an, if youB次元官网网址檙e anywhere in the eye or south, you are going to get major storm surge.B次元官网网址�

Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers has closed

And it will remain closed Thursday, according to a statement on the airportB次元官网网址檚 website.

B次元官网网址淲e plan to resume operations on Friday, Oct. 11, but that will depend on a damage assessment and staffing,B次元官网网址� the statement said.

The closing includes the airport terminal, car rental agencies and parking facilities.

A Florida official warns against looting

B次元官网网址淔lorida will not stand for looting B次元官网网址� we will not stand for it. We will come after you,B次元官网网址� said Mark Glass, commissioner of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Emergency managers now plan to start working on damage prediction models

The models were developed before the storm, with plans specific to various parts of the state, said Kevin Guthrie, executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

The plans will be used to project where the most damage will likely be, based on the hurricaneB次元官网网址檚 last position and movement at landfall, he said.

Gov. DeSantis described a wide range of resources to help respond to Milton

That includes 6,000 Florida National Guard members and 3,000 members of the National Guard from other states.

B次元官网网址淭his is the largest Florida National Guard search and rescue mobilization in the entire history of the state of Florida,B次元官网网址� he said during a Wednesday morning briefing.

There are 31,000 people in shelters and thereB次元官网网址檚 room for nearly 200,000 people, B次元官网网址渟o there is space available in these shelters,B次元官网网址� he said.

A tornado crossed Interstate 75 in Florida as Hurricane Milton approached the state

The National Weather Service in Miami posted a photo on the social platform X of the funnel crossing the highway Wednesday morning with the words: B次元官网网址淭ORNADO crossing I-75 as we speak! Seek shelter NOW!B次元官网网址�

Gov. DeSantis says B次元官网网址榶ou still have time to evacuate if you are in an evacuation zoneB次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淭he roads and the interstates, they are flowing,B次元官网网址� he said, but added that traffic conditions could deteriorate as the day goes on Wednesday.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says some gas stations have run out of fuel

But in a Wednesday morning briefing, the governor said highway patrol cars with sirens are escorting gasoline tanker trucks to get them through traffic to refill the supply.

B次元官网网址淎nd they are continuing with the fuel escorts as we speak,B次元官网网址� he said.

Water pressure will be lowered in the Port Charlotte area to prepare for Milton

In the Port Charlotte area, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) southeast of Tampa, officials said water pressure would be lowered Wednesday morning.

Utility operations for Charlotte County also would be suspended at noon. Officials said on the countyB次元官网网址檚 webpage that storm surge and heavy rainfall will inundate the sewer system, making it difficult for wastewater to flow properly.

When will Milton make landfall?

Milton is expected to make landfall on FloridaB次元官网网址檚 Gulf Coast late Wednesday or early Thursday.

B次元官网网址淲e must be prepared for a major, major impact to the west coast of Florida,B次元官网网址� Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday.

As of Wednesday morning, the storm was about 210 miles (340 kilometers) southwest of Tampa and moving northeast at 16 mph (26 kph).

In Largo, a city in central Pinellas County, a steady rain fell all morning

But there were no immediate strong winds. Most businesses were closed as people finished storm preparations and got to the location where theyB次元官网网址檒l ride out the storm.

In the Tampa Bay area, counties are using multiple ways of communication to urge residents to evacuate from vulnerable areas

TheyB次元官网网址檙e also providing other key information, such as shelter locations. On Wednesday morning, Pinellas County sent people text messages, emails and direct cellphone calls to warn of the dangers. Similar methods are used in neighboring Hillsborough County and other locations.

In FloridaB次元官网网址檚 Pinellas County, official says the window is rapidly closing for people in vulnerable low-lying areas to evacuate

B次元官网网址淭his is it, folks,B次元官网网址� Emergency Management Director Cathie Perkins said at a Wednesday morning news conference. B次元官网网址淭hose of you who were punched during Hurricane Helene, this is going to be a knockout. You need to get out and you need to get out now.B次元官网网址�

Perkins said 13 public shelters are open for people with no other option to escape the storm and that major bridges around Tampa Bay would begin closing in the afternoon. Perkins also said people should not feel a sense of relief because of indications Milton might come ashore south of Tampa.

B次元官网网址淓verybody in Tampa Bay should assume we are going to be ground zero.,B次元官网网址� she said.

Climate change boosted HeleneB次元官网网址檚 deadly rain and wind and scientists say the same is likely for Milton

Human-caused climate change boosted a devastating Hurricane Helene B次元官网网址檚 rainfall by about 10% and intensified its winds by about 11%, scientists said in a new flash study released just as a strengthening Hurricane Milton threatens the Florida coast less than two weeks later.

The warming climate boosted HeleneB次元官网网址檚 wind speeds by about 13 mph (21 kph), and made the high sea temperatures that fueled the storm 200 to 500 times more likely, World Weather Attribution calculated Wednesday from Europe. Ocean temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico were about 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius) above average, WWA said.

B次元官网网址淗urricane Helene and the storms that were happening in the region anyway have all been amplified by the fact that the air is warmer and can hold more moisture, which meant that the rainfall totals B次元官网网址� which, even without climate change, would have been incredibly high given the circumstances B次元官网网址� were even higher,B次元官网网址� Ben Clarke, a study co-author and a climate researcher at Imperial College London, said in an interview.

Milton will likely be similarly juiced, the authors said.

The scientists warned that continued burning of fossil fuels will lead to more hurricanes like Helene, with B次元官网网址渦nimaginableB次元官网网址� floods well inland, not just on coasts. Many of those who died in Helene fell victim to massive inland flooding, rather than high winds.

鈻� Read more about the effects of climate change on hurricanes.

B次元官网网址業tB次元官网网址檚 a ghost town around hereB次元官网网址�

In Charlotte Harbor, about two blocks from the water, Josh Parks spent Wednesday morning packing his Kia sedan with his clothes and other belongings from his small triplex apartment.

The clouds were swirling and the winds had begun to gust. Two weeks ago, HeleneB次元官网网址檚 surge brought about 5 feet (1.5 meters) of water to the neighborhood, its streets still filled with waterlogged furniture, torn out drywall and other debris.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a ghost town around here,B次元官网网址� said Parks, an auto technician.

His roommate had already fled and Parks wasnB次元官网网址檛 sure when he would be back.

B次元官网网址淚 told her to pack like you arenB次元官网网址檛 coming back,B次元官网网址� said Parks, who was fleeing to his daughterB次元官网网址檚 inland home.

The bridge from the mainland to the island of St. Pete Beach has been closed

Law enforcement vehicles blocked the bridge from the mainland to the barrier island of St. Pete Beach on Wednesday morning, where as of Tuesday evening, officials had closed down access to this string of low-lying barrier islands that jut out into the Gulf.

All residents in these low-lying communities west of the city of St. Petersburg are under mandatory evacuation orders, as another storm bears down less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene killed 12 people in the Tampa Bay area, including residents who didnB次元官网网址檛 leave B次元官网网址� and then drowned in their homes.

At a park bench on the side of the road that cuts through the small island of Deadman Key, plastic bags stuffed with clothes and a shopping cart full of someoneB次元官网网址檚 personal belongings sat in the blowing rain, seemingly abandoned by its owner ahead of Hurricane MiltonB次元官网网址檚 expected impact.

Three boats were already dashed against a low-lying seawall and under a bridge, apparently casualties from Helene, which sent deadly storm surge into scores of homes in Pinellas County, even as the eye of that storm stayed 100 miles (160 kilometers) offshore from this stretch of the coast.

Officials are warning that a direct hit from Hurricane Milton would bring far greater risks to this part of the state.

A tornado watch has been issued for more than 20 Florida counties ahead of Hurricane Milton

The National Weather Service on Wednesday morning issued the watch, which includes a vast part of Florida, including the Tampa area, the Florida Keys and Miami-Dade County.

In Sarasota, emergency officials urgently warned people who live near bodies of water to leave immediately

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e seen a lot of questions about, B次元官网网址榳ell I live on a creek,B次元官网网址� or B次元官网网址業 live on a river, is it really going to get 10 to 15 feet where I live?,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� Sarasota County Emergency Management Chief Sandra Tapfumaneyi said in a briefing early Wednesday.

B次元官网网址淭hat storm surge is going to start at 10 or 15 feet near the coastline and then itB次元官网网址檚 going to travel,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淎nd storm surge likes to go on the path of least resistance. So those of you that live near a river, that live near a creek, those river banks, their water will come up.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲e do not want you staying in your home if youB次元官网网址檙e anywhere near a body of water,B次元官网网址� Tapfumaneyi said.

B次元官网网址淭his is going to be an intense disaster for Sarasota County,B次元官网网址� she added. B次元官网网址淓vacuate now if you have not done so already.B次元官网网址�

The Associated Press