This story is now archived. We are updating the latest on Hurricane Milton at this link. 

TAMPA – Forecasters say Hurricane Milton has the potential to become one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida, which includes the Tampa area, as millions of residents are in the final hours of preparation.

“It’s worth emphasizing that this is a very serious situation,” the National Hurricane Center warned on Tuesday. “Milton has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida.”

TRACKING HURRICANE MILTON: PATH, SPAGHETTI MODELS, FORECAST, FLORIDA HURRICANE IMPACTS, LIVE RADAR AND MORE

On Monday, Hurricane Milton underwent rapid intensification and strengthened from a Category 1 hurricane to a near-record-breaking Category 5 hurricane with winds of 180 mph and a minimum central pressure of 897 millibars. Milton has since weakened to a Category 4 hurricane as the storm skirts the coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and is expected to remain an “extremely dangerous hurricane” through landfall along Florida’s west coast.

The NHC said the central pressure within Hurricane Milton fell to the second-lowest pressure on record in the Gulf of Mexico and the lowest pressure in the Atlantic Basin since 2005.

In terms of maximum sustained winds, Milton has also become the strongest hurricane in the Atlantic Basin since Hurricane Dorian in 2019 and tied for the fourth-strongest storm since recordkeeping began. Hurricane Allen holds the top spot with maximum sustained winds that reached 190 mph in 1980.

WEST-CENTRAL FLORIDA FACES GREATEST HURRICANE THREAT IN MORE THAN 100 YEARS

Florida residents flee, recovery resources staged

Hurricane Milton is likely to bring life-threatening impacts to Florida, including a deadly storm surge, destructive hurricane-force winds and flooding rain that has millions of residents finalizing their emergency plans, while countless others are packing up and fleeing the coast and other low-lying areas as state and local officials plead with people to listen to officials and leave if evacuations are ordered.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a State of Emergency over the weekend for 51 of the state’s 67 counties, and on Monday, President Joe Biden approved the state’s pre-landfall emergency declaration request, which now authorizes the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate all disaster relief efforts and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures.

KNOW YOUR ZONE: FLORIDA EVACUATION MAP SHOWS WHO WILL HAVE TO LEAVE BEFORE A HURRICANE STRIKES

Local officials began to issue voluntary and mandatory evacuation orders for residents up and down Florida’s Gulf Coast, and traffic has been building on roads and highways since then.

“Of course, we suspended the tolls along evacuation routes and the Florida Department of Transportation has opened roadway shoulders as necessary to facilitate evacuations and ease congestion on both I-4 and I-75,” DeSantis said.

On Tuesday, the first evacuations were ordered on Florida’s east coast in St. John’s County, including St. Augustine Beach. Volusia County also issued evacuation orders for Evacuation Zone A, which includes parts of Daytona Beach, New Smyrna and Ormond Beach.  

Both counties will experience a storm surge from the backside of Milton as it barrels across the state. 

Shelters have started opening for the thousands of Florida residents who have been told to evacuate for safety, and the state has partnered with Uber to provide residents with free rides to and from shelters for those trying to escape Milton’s eventual wrath.

To the north, Atlanta Motor Speedway said it was opening its campgrounds free of charge to evacuated Florida residents.

The National Weather Service office in Tampa is warning of catastrophic damage and some homes may be uninhabitable “for weeks or months.”

“Structural damage to sturdy buildings, some with complete roof and wall failures,” the NWS warned. “Complete destruction of mobile homes. Damage greatly accentuated by large airborne projectiles.”

Schools and universities across the region have been closed, and resources have been staged to assist in recovery efforts once the storm passes and it’s safe to do so.

ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA – OCTOBER 07:  Traffic is heavy as thousands evacuate ahead of Hurricane Milton as it churns in the Gulf of Mexico on October 07, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Florida. Milton, which comes on heels of the destructive Hurricane Helene, has strengthened to a Category 5 storm as it approaches Florida’s Gulf Coast near St. Petersburg and Tampa, where it is projected to make landfall Wednesday. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

(Getty Images)

Travel is also expected to be significantly impacted by Hurricane Milton, with airports across the region announcing they will cease operations as Milton approaches.

“We have been dispatching fuel over the past 24 hours as gas stations have run out,” DeSantis said on Tuesday. “So, we currently have 268,000 gallons of diesel, 110,000 gallons of gasoline. Those numbers are less than what they were 24 hours ago because we’ve put a lot in.”

DeSantis said an additional 1.2 million gallons of diesel and gas was headed to Florida, and stressed there was no fuel shortage.

Tampa International Airport (TPA) suspended operations on Tuesday morning, while Orlando International Airport (MCO), Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) in Sanford,  Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in Fort Myers, and Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB) in Melbourne will close to commercial flights starting on Wednesday.

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All theme parks in Central Florida, including Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando, will close on Wednesday ahead of Milton’s forecast landfall.

What alerts are in effect because of Hurricane Milton?

The first tropical alerts were issued for the U.S. on Monday when Hurricane, Tropical Storm and Storm Surge Watches were issued for Florida’s Gulf Coast.

Those alerts have since expanded and upgraded to warnings as the dangerous situation continues to unfold and Milton gets closer to the Sunshine State.

Hurricane Warnings stretch across the Florida Peninsula from Cedar Key, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota and Fort Myers on the state’s west coast to Orlando in Central Florida and Daytona Beach and Melbourne on the state’s east coast.

Tropical Storm Warnings have also been expanded to cover all of South Florida, including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and the Florida Keys.

Farther north, Tropical Storm Warnings were also issued for Jacksonville, Perry, which was hit hard by Hurricane Helene two weeks ago, and Port St. Joe.

MILTON’S LIKELY RECORD-BREAKING STORM SURGE IN TAMPA BAY COULD SURPASS ANYTHING SEEN IN OVER A CENTURY

This graphic shows storm surge alerts in Florida due to Hurricane Milton.

(FOX Weather)

Storm Surge Warnings were issued for Florida’s west coast on Monday, and there is the potential for a record storm surge in places like Tampa Bay. The Storm Surge Warnings were expanded to Florida’s east coast on Tuesday, and those stretch from north of the Treasure Coast into Southeast Georgia and include the St. Johns River in Northeast Florida.

“If you are in the Storm Surge Warning area, this is an extremely life-threatening situation, and you should evacuate today if ordered by local officials,” the NHC warned. “There will likely not be enough time to wait and leave on Wednesday.”

HOURS LEFT UNTIL MILTON’S LANDFALL AS FLORIDIANS RACE TO EVACUATE AHEAD OF STORM

This graphic shows the storm surge forecast in Florida due to Hurricane Milton.

(FOX Weather)

A storm surge of up to 15 feet is possible for Tampa Bay, as well as from the Anclote River to Englewood, Florida.

A storm surge of 6-10 feet is possible from Englewood to Bonita Beach, as well as for Charlotte Harbor. 

The current storm surge forecast for Tampa Bay is up to 15 feet if the peak surge coincides with high tide. This is notably higher than during Helene, when Tampa Bay saw 7-8 feet of storm surge.

What’s the latest with Hurricane Milton?

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Hurricane Milton is located about 500 miles southwest of Tampa, Florida, and has maximum sustained winds of 165 mph, making it a strong Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.

The NHC says Hurricane Milton’s wind field is expected to grow as the storm approaches the Sunshine State.

“The official forecast shows the hurricane and tropical-storm-force winds roughly doubling in size by the time it makes landfall,” the NHC said. “Therefore, damaging winds, life-threatening storm surge, and heavy rainfall will extend well outside the forecast cone.”

What is the forecast for Hurricane Milton?

This graphic shows the forecast track of Hurricane Milton.

(FOX Weather)

The National Hurricane Center says Hurricane Milton is moving off to the east-northeast, and a turn to the northeast with an increase in forward speed is expected on Tuesday and continue through Thursday.

On that forecast track, the NHC says the center of Hurricane Milton will move across the eastern Gulf of Mexico and approach the west-central coast of Florida through Wednesday.

The center is likely to make landfall along the west-central coast of Florida on Wednesday night, and then move east-northeastward across central Florida through Thursday.

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The power outage forecast from Hurricane Milton.

(FOX Weather)

The Dallas Cowboys are back in the win column, and Jerry Jones couldn’t be happier.

Following his team’s nail-biting 26-24 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football, the Cowboys owner and GM was quick to praise his team.

But perhaps more importantly, he also went out of his way to mention had coach Mike McCarthy – who’s job security has been in question most of the season – and the job he has done this year.

MORE: 4 takeaways from Cowboys’ impressive win vs. Buccaneers

“I’m real proud,” Jones said after the game. “Mike McCarthy, he just won’t let them not think that they’re playing for the Super Bowl out there. He won’t let them do it. I’m proud of that. I’m proud of the coach… There’s no question that we’re fighting with a very limited deck out here right now, and those guys are doing a great job. All of them, the players, but my hat is off to Mike McCarthy.”

In Jones’ defense, the Cowboys have won four of their last five games after starting 3-7, and have an opportunity to finish the year above .500 if they can win their final two games.

The only problem? The Cowboys have also been officially eliminated from the playoff picture thanks to that abysmal start to the season.

This, of course, is not the first time that Jones has gone out of his way to say good things about his head coach either. Earlier this season, Jones told 105.3 The Fan that he gave McCarthy and defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer ‘high grades’ for the way they have navigated the team through adversity this season.

Jones has also consistently deflected any questions regarding the idea of moving on from the Cowboys coach, who is in the final year of his deal with the franchise. He even left the door open for a possible extension, despite McCarthy and the team’s struggles on the field throughout the year.

“I don’t think (an extension) is crazy at all,” Jones told The Fan in late November. “This is a Super Bowl-winning coach. Mike McCarthy has been there and done that. He has great ideas. We got a lot of football left.”

Will any of that matter when the season officially comes to a close in two weeks? Only time will tell, but it certainly seems as though Jones is doubling down on the idea of keeping McCarthy in Dallas.

And if the Cowboys can finish strong, and perhaps earn wins over the division-rival Eagles and Commanders, it would go a long way in helping Jones make that decision.

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About a week ago, even amid Jimmy Butler rumors, the Miami Heat were enjoying their longest win streak of the season and hoping to maintain their turnaround to challenge in the Eastern Conference.

Now, they enter the holiday week having lost three in a row, with each loss highlighting a different concern. Blowing a 25-point lead against an injury-depleted Orlando Magic team certainly poses worries, even without Butler in the lineup.

Sealing the deal remains the point of the game, though.

Whether it’s closing out close games (1-6 in matchups decided by three or fewer points) or just beating good teams (5-8 against opponents .500 or better), the Heat are struggling to stand out in ways that broaden their margins. Stretches like the last three games have seen them blow an eight-point lead in overtime within two minutes (at the Detroit Pistons last Monday), lose the battle on the glass against one of the league’s worst rebounding teams (Oklahoma City on Friday) and score eight points in the final period against a team missing its two best players (Orlando on Saturday).

Even with Butler missing most of the last two games, those results aren’t reassuring. Against Detroit, he had a seemingly flawless game, but Miami still lost by one point. Coming close without the cigar is tough business for any team, but especially one capable of resembling playoff form one moment and suddenly collapsing by the next.

Entering Monday, Miami is still sixth in the East, but it’s closer to Play-In territory than consistently resembling teams who have either weathered storms without their best players (Orlando) or resemble new form after slow starts (Milwaukee is 15-12 after starting 2-8).

“Being able to close out games, a lot of that is my responsibility with Jimmy not here,” Tyler Herro said. “So I’ll be better on Monday and going forward.”

The Heat have an NBA-high six losses by one possession this season, which could pose ample regret down the stretch if the team remains on the outside looking in for postseason hopes. But beyond playing for the playoffs, rumors about Butler’s future make it even tougher to envision this team’s identity beyond this season. Miami has enjoyed great success since acquiring the six-time All-Star in 2019, but stretches like this past weekend illustrate the fine margins it must thrive with, with or without its star player.

On the season, Miami’s net rating swings by plus-8.7 points depending on Butler’s presence. The difference between him being on the court (plus-6.2 net rating) or on the bench (minus-2.5) is that of Miami being either seventh in the NBA or closer to 20th. But coach Erik Spoelstra won’t blame one variable for any loss, even if that variable has star power behind it.

Whether Butler is injured, ill or (rumored to be) traded, Spoelstra doesn’t dwell on narratives when it comes to wins or losses.

“I’m not thinking any other thought. If guys say they can go, we’re going right now,” Spoelstra said after Friday’s loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, during which Butler played only seven minutes.

From examining depth (hello, extended Kel’el Ware minutes on Saturday!) to simply staying afloat until the team is fully healthy, the Heat will need to succeed at the edges to remain viable in the East playoff picture. No matter how the Butler saga shakes out, Miami will still be relying on Herro and Bam Adebayo to hold things down as Spoelstra remains focused on how to maximize his roster, possessions and, ultimately, the team’s season.

Matchups against teams like the Brooklyn Nets (11-17) can be chances for Miami to start another win streak or simply play its best game of the season, but it would still be only one win against a relative sea of confounding defeats. At this point, how well the Heat carries things from one game to the next will determine their season, but the real test will be how well they carry things from one quarter to the next.

One night, the Heat can beat the team with the NBA’s best record (Cleveland Cavaliers), and on others, they lose two road matchups by a combined three points to a team with Play-In ambitions (Detroit). Now at .500 again, Miami’s identity this season might be stuck somewhere in the middle. No matter how strong its glimpses of potential may seem, inexplicable lapses can only make it harder to maximize a path upward in the East standings or assess how to best retool for the future.

At this point, the best case for the team (and fans) is to simply take it all one day at a time.

(Photo of Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson: Fernando Medina / Getty Images )