MILWAUKEE — Flights from Tampa, Fort Myers, and Orlando touched down at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport Monday evening. These were some of the final flights as Hurricane Milton rolls into Florida.

Blanca Smykowski was one of the people waiting for the Florida flights to land.

“Glad you guys got out,” Blanca said as she hugged her daughter.

Bella Smykowski and her friend Nelly Korhonen got out of Tampa to escape the wrath of Hurricane Milton.

“It’s felt like the longest 24 hours,” Blanca said.

Blanca drove from Chicago to pick Bella and Nelly up. They are students at The University of Tampa.

“We had to find a flight to Chicago, and we couldn’t get a flight. Everything was unavailable. We tried a few different airlines,” Blanca explained.

Watch: Students and families land safely in Milwaukee as Hurricane Milton strengthens

Students and families land safely in Milwaukee as Hurricane Milton strengthens

The Category 5 hurricane is closing airports and prompting evacuations around the Tampa Bay area. The Tampa International Airport plans to suspend operations at 9:00 Tuesday morning due to the hurricane.

“All of the campus could feel that this one was nothing to mess around with,” Bella said. 

With tears in her eyes, Blanca is grateful she could get the girls out of Florida.

“A lot of kids unfortunately are stuck out there whose parents couldn’t get them home. I’m just glad we had the option of flying her home,” Blanca explained.

For some, the powerful storm meant cutting vacation short and preparing for the worst.

“Packed up the house, buckets underneath the furniture,” Brookfield resident, Gillian Rios said.

Gillian and Lacey Rios came home four days early from vacationing in Fort Myers. They said the rain was nonstop.

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“I’m just beyond grateful and glad that we were able to get out in time,” Gillian explained.

“Our flight was on time. Nothing was delayed,” Lacey added.

Information on flights departing and arriving at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport can be found here.

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